Concert ticket scams see 500% surge

The figures – published by Lloyds Banking Group – also saw the number of scams reported by those attempting to buy music festival tickets more than doubled, increasing by 128% over the last 12 months when compared to the previous year.  

Additionally, there were big increases in the number of scams relating to bookings for comedy and theatre shows – though the volumes of the cases for both was much smaller.  

These types of purchase scams often occur when someone is tricked into sending money via bank transfer to buy goods or services that don’t exist. To execute this, ticket scams usually involve fake websites, social media posts or emails offering tickets at discounted prices, or access to events which have already sold out at inflated prices – with victims asked to pay upfront for the tickets.  

Lloyds Bank’s fraud prevention director Liz Ziegler said: “Fraudsters are always changing their tactics to trick victims out of their hard-earned cash. With demand to attend live events soaring as the warmer weather approaches, they’ll waste no time in targeting music fans as they rush to pick up tickets for the most popular gigs and festivals. 

“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 that excitement 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 real ticket. Even then, always pay by debit or credit card for the greatest protection. 

“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.”