Brits have been warned to beware of ticket scams as thousands lost money to fraudsters in 2022. Action Fraud has revealed that an eye-watering £6.7 million was stolen, with an average loss of £772 per victim. Cybercriminals are particularly targeting music enthusiasts this time of year, sending out convincing-looking phishing messages. These messages can appear in email inboxes on services like Gmail, as text messages via WhatsApp, or on social media accounts like Facebook. Many people fall prey to these fraudulent messages or genuine-looking phishing attempts. Fraudsters often create fake ticket retail companies to trick victims into trusting them. Police are urging people to be vigilant, especially with major sell-out events like the Glastonbury Festival and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour approaching. Lloyds Bank recently reported that over 600 customers reported being scammed with Eras Tour tickets. Action Fraud reported that over 8,700 people were victims of ticket fraud last year. Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, stated, “We all want to enjoy ticketed events this summer, but that doesn’t stop fraudsters from trying to ruin our fun.” “Don’t get caught out by fraudulent activity or genuine-looking phishing messages,” Smith urges. “Make sure you recognize the signs of ticket fraud before losing money. Beware of unsolicited messages offering deals that seem too good to be true.” Nearly 3,000 people reported being scammed with fake concert tickets last year, followed by over 2,500 related to travel and 1,561 associated with sporting events. People seeking tickets are reminded to only purchase from the venue box office, the promoter, an official agent, or a well-known and reputable ticket exchange site. Jamie Harris, Senior Technology and Science Reporter at The Sun, analyzed the issue and found that people often try to sell tickets for events they can no longer attend on Facebook groups. While it may be tempting to buy tickets on social media, it comes with the risk of losing significant sums of money. If you decide to buy from a STAR (Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers) member, you can rest assured that you are buying from an authorized ticket supplier that adheres to strict codes of practice. “You will also have access to our approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service if needed,” explained Jonathan Brown, Chief Executive of STAR. “While we hope you never have to use it, it provides an additional layer of protection.” “There are many great gigs and festivals happening throughout the UK this summer, but unfortunately, fraudsters are waiting to take advantage of the excitement by ripping off ticket buyers,” Brown warns. Action Fraud offers essential advice when buying tickets online:
* Only purchase from the venue box office, the promoter, an official agent, or a reputable ticket exchange site.
* Be wary of unsolicited messages offering deals that seem too good to be true.
* Check the website address carefully for any misspellings or irregularities.
* Look for customer reviews and feedback before making a purchase.
* Use a credit card for added protection in case of fraud.
* Report any suspected scams to Action Fraud.
