Don’t let scammers pull a Swiftie on you- How to avoid fake tickets on social media

Ticket fraud is back in the headlines after scammers targeted Taylor Swift fans through social media ahead of her Eras Tour. We have some tips to help you avoid gig and festival ticket scams and ensure any tickets you buy are the real deal.

Ticket scams are on the rise with Taylor Swift fans losing thousands to fake resellers posing as friends on social media ahead of the superstar’s sold-out Eras Tour concerts.

More than 270 people have reported being victims of the Taylor Swift scam alone, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

While Taylor Swift is dominating the headlines, scammers are selling a plethora of fraudulent tickets for various artists across a range of social media platforms. They are also creating fake websites that look authentic and trick victims into providing personal details and money. Others are targeting the Ticketek accounts of ticketholders to steal and resell legitimate tickets. Here’s what to look out for.

How social media ticket scams work

Scammers have been hacking into social media accounts to appear legitimate. Victims receive a social media message or post offering tickets to an event from someone they believe is a friend or acquaintance.

The scammer may include a short story about why they can’t attend the concert and are selling the tickets. They may send what they claim is a screenshot of an email confirmation of having bought the tickets.

They often try to rush the buyer to transfer the money, referring to the high demand for tickets. They may ask for an additional fee related to changing the ticket to the buyer’s name. 

After the buyer makes the payment, they’re left without the ticket and no further contact, only to discover that their friend’s social media profile has been hacked.

How to protect yourself from ticket scams

Here are some tips on how to stay safe when buying tickets for concerts or other events:

– The safest way to buy tickets is from an authorised ticket seller. There is usually information about where to buy official tickets on the website of the promoter or venue, or the website of the artist appearing at the event. Don’t presume that the ticket seller that comes up first on search engine results is the official seller.

– If you are considering taking up an offer on social media (which is not recommended), independently contact your friend through a different channel to check if it’s real.

– Consider when the tickets go on sale. If tickets are on sale before the official date, they might be fake.

– Check that you are purchasing from a secure website. Ensure the web address starts with https: instead of http: and has a padlock symbol.

– Look for secure payment options such as PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay instead of providing your credit card details to the seller. Never transfer cash into a ticket seller’s bank account. 

– Ensure you have strong passwords on all your accounts. Don’t use the same passwords on several accounts. Enable two-factor authentication to provide an additional layer of protection.

If you’ve been affected

– If you think you have been a victim of fraud, contact us immediately.

– Contact the platform on which the scam occurred and let them know what happened.

– Help others avoid the same experience by reporting the scam to Scamwatch.

– Tell your friends and family. They can support you and it may help protect them from scams by making them more aware.

For more information, visit scamwatch.gov.au.

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