Ticket scammers target Oasis fans

Oasis fans have been warned to be wary of ticket scams ahead of the band’s reunion tour.

Last year, the Mancunian rock band announced that they were getting back together and touring for the first time since 2009.

This led to a mad scramble for tickets, with many people paying huge amounts even on legitimate selling platforms.

But the sheer level of demand has made Oasis fans very attractive targets to scammers, who advertise fake tickets on social media, ask for an upfront payment and then disappear. 

This means fans are left empty-handed, out of pocket and often broken-hearted. 

How big is the problem?

Lloyds has revealed that since the Oasis tour was announced last August, more than 1,000 of its customers have reported ticket scams.

And since the start of the year, more than half (56%) of all reports have come from Oasis fans.

Victims were found to have lost £436 on average.

Notably, that’s about £200 more than in a typical concert ticket scam - a measure of the premium Oasis fans are willing to pay to be at the reunion gigs.

In one case, one unfortunate fan was scammed out of more than £1,700.

Fans of other major acts also being targeted

Oasis fans are from alone in being targeted by scammers.

According to Lloyds, Taylor Swift fans were scammed out of an estimated £1m ahead of the UK leg of her landmark Eras tour last summer, with victims losing an average of £332 each. 

And Santander UK recently said more 18 to 34-year-olds reported falling victim to financial scams between January and March 2025.

This, it said, was fuelled by criminals advertising fake concert tickets for major acts like Coldplay and Sabrina Carpenter.

How to stay safe from ticket scams

Only buy tickets from trusted retailers 

You can’t guarantee you’re getting an actual ticket if you give money to a scammer, so make sure you’re only buying from legitimate outlets. 

“Buying directly from reputable, authorised retailers is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a genuine ticket,” said Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds.

Avoid bank transfers

Make sure you’re using a secure means of payment, such as a debit or credit card, or PayPal, instead of a bank transfer.

“If you’re asked to pay for a bank transfer, particularly by a seller you’ve found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing,” Ms Ziegler commented.

Be wary of ticket listings on social media

It’s hard to verify if a ticket listing or the person advertising a ticket on social media is genuine, especially if they’re using pictures of real tickets to create fake ads.

So take care on platforms like Facebook and be sceptical if you see ads for sold-out events.

Don’t let excitement cloud your judgement

The excitement that comes when your favourite artist announces new tour dates can be overwhelming.

But after a gig sells out, scammers are counting on your desperation to be there regardless of what it costs.

So it’s really important to keep a lid on your emotions and be vigilant. 

And if a gig does sell out, remember that all is not lost, as tickets often become available closer to the time through legitimate resale sites, such as Twickets.