Scammers took up to £1,000 from some fans, as nine in 10 reported cases to Lloyds occurred on social media and Facebook Marketplace in particular.
Since tickets went on sale on 27 August, 70% of all gig ticket scams have involved the shows of the reuniting Gallagher brothers in 2025, amounting to hundreds of fraud claims by the bank’s customers.
A third (31%) of the victims of all scams involving tickets for the Britpop heroes were aged between 35 and 44 years old.
The main method by which criminals defrauded hopeful fans was through unofficial resale groups created on Facebook, which accumulated tens of thousands of members.
Several groups entitled variations of ‘Oasis Tickets Buying and Selling 2025’ and ‘Oasis tickets 2025 [ONLY VERIFIED GROUP]’ were used to advertise fake tickets and money was transferred to scammers on the platform despite a ticket not existing.
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This is known as a purchase scam (a type of authorised push payment (APP) scam) and has been a long-running issue, with Marketplace users conned out of £60m in 2023. Indeed, the unofficial resale groups were set up despite Meta banning the sale of concert tickets on the social media platform.
Banks can now delay payments up to 72 hours if the provider believes the money being sent is part of a scam due to rules introduced in October. More new reforms also mean banks must refund APP scams sent to a UK account within five days, up to a maximum of £85,000.
‘Fraudsters wasted no time’
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said: “Predictably, fraudsters wasted no time in targeting loyal Oasis fans as they scrambled to pick up tickets for next year’s must-see reunion tour.
“The fact that so many cases start with fake listings on social media, often in violation of the platforms’ own rules, underscores the importance of these companies taking stronger action to tackle scams.”
Ziegler added: “Buying directly from reputable, authorised retailers is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a genuine ticket. If you’re asked to pay via bank transfer, particularly by a seller you’ve found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing.”
When Oasis announced the reunion gigs would take place, fans were warned that scammers would take advantage of people hoping to see the first Oasis gigs in 16 years.
The banking provider reiterated those warnings, with fraudsters likely to step up their efforts nearer the time of the gigs in Manchester, London, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff next year.
Tips to avoid purchase scams
- Stick to trusted retailers – Always purchase tickets from reputable, official ticket-selling (or reselling) platforms. Exercise caution when dealing with third-party sellers.
- Be cautious on social media – Remember that you can’t always verify if a user profile or ticket listing is genuine. Fraudsters can easily create fake ads, even using images of real tickets.
- Avoid deals that look too good to be true – If a ticket is being sold at an unusually low price or for a sold-out event, it’s a red flag. Always ask yourself if the deal seems realistic.
- Use a secure payment method – Pay with your debit or credit card, as this provides more protection for your money. PayPal is also a safer alternative compared to bank transfers.
