Young adults targeted with concert ticket scams

When huge artists announce a major tour, fans are understandably eager to snap up the hottest tickets in town. 

But that makes them very attractive targets to scammers, who advertise fake tickets, ask for an upfront payment and then disappear. 

That leaves the would-be buyer empty-handed, out of pocket and often broken-hearted. 

According to Santander UK, there was a 6% increase in the number of 18 to 34-year-olds reporting falling victim to financial scams in the first quarter of 2025.

This increase has been fuelled by criminals advertising fake concert tickets for huge acts like Coldplay and Sabrina Carpenter.

In fact, cases involving concert tickets accounted for more than 10% of purchase scam claims between January and March this year.

Scammers exploiting demand to see huge acts

This is by no means a new phenomenon.

According to Lloyds Bank, 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. 

Fraudsters were also keen to cash in on demand to see Oasis after they announced they were reuniting for the first time in 15 years.

Figures from Lloyds show that in the month after August 27th 2024 - the date that the reunion tour was announced - Oasis fans accounted for about 70% of all reported concert ticket scams. 

Victims were found to have lost an average of £346, although some have lost as much as £1,000. 

How to stay safe from ticket scams

Firstly, only buy tickets from trusted retailers 

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

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

Finally, keep your emotions in check. 

The excitement that comes when your favourite artist announces new tour dates can be overwhelming. 
 
And when we’re talking about tickets that are guaranteed to sell out, it’s easy to act impulsively and pay well over the odds. 

But this is exactly what scammers are counting on when they claim to have tickets to sell. 

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.