Warning over fraudulent ticket sales

Lanarkshire concert, theatre and events fans are being warned by the police to“be vigilant” of fraudulent ticket sales online.

Over the past few weeks, 16 reported incidents have been received from the area, along with Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Lothian and Borders, where people have transferred money for tickets for Taylor Swift’s sold-out UK tour dates.

The amount of money suspected to have been fraudulently paid is estimated at over £5000.

Many of these frauds are taking place on online marketplace platforms.

A police spokesperson told us: “Please be vigilant and ensure you are buying from legitimate sources, checking any bank details being provided.

“Before purchasing, carefully review the ticket details to ensure their authenticity. Check for accurate event information, including the date, time, and venue.

“Pay attention to the seating section or assigned seats, which can indicate fraudulent tickets.

“When purchasing tickets online, prioritise secure payment methods to safeguard your financial information.

“Credit cards and reputable online payment platforms offer additional protection against fraudulent transactions.

“Avoid paying with cash, wire transfers, or unsecured payment methods.

“More information can be found on our website or on the Trading Standards Scotland website.”

You can try and be aware of ticket fraud by:

– Seeing an offer for a ticket in an email or a message/DM.

– When you are offered tickets for a high-demand or sold-out event at a too good to be true price.

– When you’re asked to pay by bank transfer only and not via the secure payment methods recommended by reputable online retailers.

– You see a website that looks similar to a genuine organisation, but there are subtle changes to the URL.