Fans of the Mancunian rockers continue to be targeted by a surge of ticket scams on social media as the band’s first concerts since 2009 draw closer, according to Lloyds.
Lloyds’ analysis of scam reports made by its own customers found there had been more than 1,000 cases since the sold-out tour was announced in August 2024. According to the bank, Oasis fans make up more than half (56%) of all reported concert ticket scams so far this year.
Lloyds found that victims have lost an average of £436 each, which is around £200 more than the average concert ticket scam. The biggest amount lost in a single case so far was more than £1,700 – suggesting many fans are willing to pay well over face value to see their idols perform live.
But as these figures are based solely on Lloyds’ own customer data, the bank estimates that across the UK, there are likely to have been at least 5,000 victims since tickets went on sale, with more than £2m collectively lost to fraudsters.
How are fans being scammed?
Ticket scams usually involve fake adverts, posts or listings on social media, offering tickets at discounted prices, or access to events that have already sold out at inflated prices.
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According to Lloyds, more than 90% of reported cases of Oasis ticket scams started with fake adverts, posts or listings on Meta-owned platforms, with the vast majority on Facebook.
Numerous unofficial groups have also been set up, many with tens of thousands of members, dedicated to buying and selling tickets for the Oasis tour.
Fake adverts typically lure buyers into ‘purchase scams’, which happen when someone is tricked into sending money via bank transfer to buy goods or services that don’t exist.
In many cases, victims are asked to pay upfront for the tickets, but once the payment is made, the scammers vanish.
Those aged 35-44 years old are most likely to be targeted by the ticket fraudsters, making up almost a third (30%) of all cases, according to Lloyds. Edinburgh, Warrington and Manchester have the highest number of Oasis scam victims, the bank’s research found.
Gig goers advised against paying by bank transfer
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said: “The Oasis tour is the latest target for ticket scammers, with millions of pounds of fans’ money stolen before the gigs even kick off.
“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.
“It’s vital that consumers feel empowered to shop safely online. 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.”
Controversial ticket pricing
The Oasis Live ’25 tour hit the headlines last summer when fans trying to buy tickets were subject to ‘in demand’ ticket sales strategies on Ticketmaster. Some fans found the price of tickets had more than doubled by the time they reached the front of the virtual queue.
A deluge of complaints prompted the Government to launch a probe into dynamic pricing, with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) later finding that “Ticketmaster’s approach may have misled Oasis fans”.
Lisa Webb, Which?’s consumer law expert, said: “Scammers are always looking for new ways to part people from their hard-earned cash and unfortunately, Oasis tickets being in such high demand has created a perfect storm for criminals.
“Fans of the band have already been subject to potentially unlawful pricing practices by Ticketmaster; now, they are being exposed to all sorts of fake adverts, posts and listings on social media where criminals are hoping to trick them into purchasing tickets that don’t exist.
“At this point, it’s safest to assume that any Oasis tickets being advertised on social media are fake. If you spot any suspicious posts, you can report them to the social media platform and the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate.”
