Taylor Swift fans have lost over £1m on ticket scams since her Eras Tour went on sale, research reveals.
Since tickets went on sale in July last year, 600 Lloyds Bank customers have reported a scam when buying one, losing an average of £332 each.
However, around 3,000 fans in total were likely to have been conned by fraudsters, Lloyds’ data finds, meaning over £1m has been lost to fraudsters so far.
Much like the last three years, Facebook has been a hotbed for scams to take place, through fake adverts and popular unofficial groups selling fake tickets, often with tens of thousands of members.
On the social media site, Facebook Marketplace also has listings of tickets for the tour, which has now sold out.
With tickets for the tour scarce, scammers hope to take advantage of fans who are desperate to see the Shake It Off singer.
It’s not just ‘Swifties’ who are at risk of being conned. Concert ticket scams have soared in the music industry and more than doubled last summer – rising by 158% compared to the same period in 2022.
Fans of major artists hit by ticket scams
Fans of huge pop acts including Harry Styles and Beyoncé were also hit by purchase scams, with victims losing an average of £133 each.
Purchase scams are when you pay for a ticket, product, service or experience that doesn’t exist through bank transfer or ‘faster payment’.
Often, the tickets will appear at a discounted price when the concert tickets go on sale, or nearer the time of the event. So, it is likely that scammers will next be targeting Swift’s first of three nights at Wembley, kicking off on 21 June.
Further, con artists will also ask for the payment to be made without the ticket being sent, before disappearing without any way of contacting them.
Last December, ‘Swifties’ and fans heading to Euro 2024 were warned to be careful when buying tickets on social media, as purchase scams grew by 40% in less than a year.
Bank transfer ‘should set alarm bells ringing’
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank, said: “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 those feelings 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 genuine ticket. Even then, always pay by debit or credit card for the greatest protection.”
Ziegler added: “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”.
The bank has provided four tips to make sure you are not stung when planning your next concert.
Four tips to purchase a concert ticket safely:
- Buy from trusted retailers – only purchase tickets from well-known, official ticket-selling (or reselling) 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.
