Fraudsters Swift to act in concert tickets scam
MORE than £1m could already have been lost in the UK to fraudsters pretending to offer Taylor Swift concert tickets, a major bank estimates.
Fans of Taylor Swift are being targeted by a wave of concert ticket scams flooding social media as the global music icon prepares to tour the UK for the first time in six years this summer – including a date at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on June 18.
Analysis by Lloyds Bank of scam reports made by its own customers found a surge in fraud cases from those buying tickets for the star’s upcoming – and sold-out – Eras Tour.
Since tickets went on sale in July last year more than 600 customers have come forward to report being scammed, significantly more than for any other music artist.
The average amount lost by each victim was £332, though in some cases it was more than £1,000.
As these figures are based solely on Lloyds Bank’s own data, it estimates that across the UK there are likely to have been at least 3,000 victims since tickets went on sale, with more than £1m being lost to fraudsters so far.
More than 90% of reported cases start with fake adverts or posts on Facebook, which includes Facebook Marketplace. A search of Facebook revealed that dozens of unofficial groups have been set up specifically for people looking to buy and sell tickets for Taylor Swift concerts.
Likewise Facebook Marketplace has various listings for tickets at venues all over the country.
With all UK dates now sold out, many more fans are likely to fall victim to ticket scams in the coming weeks and months, both leading up to the tour and once the concerts begin in June.
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director, Lloyds Bank, said: “The excitement is building ahead of Taylor’s Eras Tour. However, fraudsters have wasted no time in targeting her fans.”
Lisa Webb, consumer law expert at Which?, said: “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
“Don’t be tempted to buy tickets from anyone other than authorised sellers. If you are buying tickets, we recommend you pay using your credit card if the tickets cost more than £100, or by PayPal, as both these methods may provide protection if something goes wrong.
“If you think you have fallen victim to a ticket scam, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or Police Scotland.”