Ticket Fraud Soars Warns Trading Standards

30th May 2024

hose hoping to attend popular events this summer, such as the Euros, the Olympics, music festivals and concerts including Taylor Swift's Eras tour, are being warned to be wary of ticket fraud.
According to recent figures from UK Finance, there was a 28% increase in cases of purchase fraud in the UK last year, where consumers paid for goods or services online - such as event tickets - which were never received.

According to Police Scotland, there have been several reports of scams related to Taylor Swift's Scottish concerts, with fans losing over £5,000 after paying for non-existent tickets that were advertised on social media and online marketplaces.
Tickets for the three Scottish dates on the singer's Eras tour in June sold out almost immediately and resale tickets have been advertised online for more than £7,000.

How to Avoid
Only buy tickets from the venue's box office, official promoter or agent, or a well-known and reputable ticket site. Tickets advertised in places such as social media, online marketplaces and fan forums may be fake or non-existent.

If possible, pay for tickets by card or using a secure payment system. Be suspicious if you are asked to make a bank transfer as this may be a scam.

Check that the seller is registered with the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR): Take a note of the seller's name and, if they are a business, their address in case you need to contact them at a later date;

Be aware of the information which ticket sellers are required to provide. Sellers may be committing an offence if they fail to disclose relevant information.

Find out more
Get Safe Online: www.getsafeonline.org/tickets
Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers: www.star.org.uk/ticket-buying-advice/
ScamShare PDF on ticketing scams: www.tsscot.co.uk/Spotlight-Tickets.pdf