I think it’s fair to say that most of us would sell our firstborn child for tickets to Taylor Swift‘s Australian Eras Tour. Especially after the bonkers shit that went down during the Frontier Touring pre-sale on Wednesday. But our desperate, burning need for tix isn’t just common knowledge within pop culture discourse, even the fkn scammers have caught on.
I know what you’re thinking: Scams are for boomers! I won’t fall for one of those! Sadly, the current numbers don’t really reflect that. The ACCC’s Scamwatch has revealed that Australians have lost almost $200 million to scammers in 2023 alone and it’s only June. Ouchie mama.
And according to a report by cyber security company Proofpoint, we’ve seen a huge increase in scams through telephone-oriented attack delivery which is known as TOAD. What a fun name for a not-so-fun thing.
This sneaky scam is often used as a tactic to peddle fake concert tickets when big names are attached to them. Taylor Swift? She’s a big ol’ name.
Those dirty scammers work in a timely manner. So after the media noted that four million Swifties from Sydney and Melbourne attempted to buy tickets during Wednesday’s pre-sale, I can’t help but feel like we’re ripe for a scammin’.
Adrian Covich, the senior director for systems engineering at Proofpoint Asia Pacific and Japan, agrees with this notion.
“Timeliness is a key consideration for cyber criminals,” Adrian said.
“Lures that refer to recent events or time-sensitive decisions can cause victims to skip some of the scrutiny they might otherwise apply. A high-grossing, in-demand tour such as Taylor Swift’s going on sale in Australia is the perfect hunting ground for cyber criminals who will take advantage of fans’ desperate need for tickets.
“I urge Swifties looking to purchase tickets this week to ensure they are purchasing them through an authorised vendor and to take note of our tips to avoid scams. If they fall victim to these criminals, they could lose a lot more than the price of a ticket.”
Oooft.
Thankfully Proofpoint has put together five hot little tips to help Swifties avoid getting scammed. Are you ready for it?
1. This one seems obvious but never share personal or financial information with someone you don’t know. If they ask, you’ll know they were trouble when they walked in.
2. If you think your wildest dreams have come true when someone sends you a private link to buy tix, it’s too good to be true, baby. Even if it’s on text or social media, avoid clicking through links that are sent by unknown senders.
3. Keep an eye out for spelling and grammatical errors. A website or an email may look so legit you might be convinced that your cruel summer of not getting tickies is over but chances are it’s too good to be true.
4. Cyber scammers don’t care about their reputation. In fact, they know all too well the lengths that Swifities will go to buy tickets. But if you get an email out of the blue that says you won a prize for a competition you didn’t enter, it’s not real.
5. Another way scammers can get your cashola is by cracking your passwords. If your password is “ILoveTaylorSwift1” and you’ve shared it with your friends and family to help you get tickets, you’re putting your cyber security at risk. So keep your passwords varied and most importantly, keep them private!
Are these tips basic? Yes.
But desperate times call for desperate reminders. I’m just trying to get good karma, okay?
To get legit, actual Taylor Swift Australian Eras Tour tickets head to the Frontier Touring website here. And we’ve even done some digging to work out the best method to lock some of those tickets down if you want some tips and tricks.
(Image Credit: Getty / John Shearer)
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