Music lovers have been issued a warning about buying concert tickets online, as a bank has reported seeing a sharp increase in scams.
Lloyds bank is urging festival and concert-goers to be cautious with who they get their concert tickets from as fraudsters may target popular gigs.
They said that people getting scammed when buying concert tickets surged by 529 percent over the last year, with victims losing £110 on average.
Ticket scams usually involve fake websites, social media posts or emails offering tickets at discounted prices, or access to events which have already sold out at inflated prices.
Victims are asked to pay upfront for the tickets, but once the payment is made, the scammers disappear. This leaves the buyer without the tickets and out of pocket.
When tickets for an event are scarce, fraudsters know they can cash in on desperate fans willing to pay much more, says Lloyds.
Four tips when buying concert and festival tickets
- Buy from trusted retailers – only purchase tickets from well-known, reputable ticket selling platforms. Take extra precautions when buying tickets from third-party sellers.
- Be cautious on social media – you don’t know if the user profile or tickets are genuine. It’s easy for fraudsters to create fake ads including pictures of real tickets.
- Avoid deals that look too good to be true – tickets for sale at low prices or for sold-out events should ring alarm bells. Ask yourself if the deal seems realistic.
- Pay with your debit or credit card – this helps to protect your money should something go wrong. PayPal is another option that’s usually safer than paying by bank transfer.
Their data shows that Harry Styles and Lewis Capaldi were among the most common artists being targeted.
Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director, Lloyds Bank, said: "Fraudsters are always changing their tactics to trick victims out of their hard-earned cash. With demand to attend live events soaring as the warmer weather approaches, they’ll waste no time in targeting music fans as they rush to pick up tickets for the most popular gigs and festivals.
"It's easy to let our emotions get the better of us when we find out our favourite artist is going to be performing live, but it’s important not to let that excitement cloud our judgement when trying to get hold of tickets.
"Buying directly from reputable, authorised platforms is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a real ticket. Even then, always pay by debit or credit card for the greatest protection.
"If you’re being asked to pay by bank transfer, particularly from a seller you’ve found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing."
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