Ticket tout warning: How to avoid resale scams
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An unprecedented demand meant Oasis tickets sold out in a matter of hours, but fans who missed out are being warned to stay clear of resale scams.
Following news that Taylor Swift fans lost £1m in ticket scams ahead of the UK leg of her tour earlier this year, money experts from Quotezone.co.uk are warning fans to be cautious before handing over their money for live events.
Event organisers often impose ticket restrictions in an effort to protect consumers and minimise the chance of resellers getting their hands on a large number of tickets.
However, those looking to upsell or scam consumers have found ways around the systems and are able to make thousands of pounds off the back of huge ticket sales, for the likes of Taylor Swift and potentially Oasis.
Ticket touts range from general members of the public to more sophisticated businesses. They often target fans on social media as a means to make money.
For the Oasis 2025 tour, organisers are taking measures to avoid ticket touting. According to the Oasis website, promoters will cancel any tickets listed on unauthorised resale sites, and ticket resale is permitted at no more than the original price paid.
Taking out ticket insurance is also sensible, and customers should be able to buy insurance as an add-on with their purchase. Nearly three in ten say they are more likely to buy ticket insurance for events now than before the pandemic.
Event-goers might also want to consider travel insurance to cover transport and any accommodation needed, given prices are likely to be higher than usual around these popular gigs.
Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said: “Tickets for huge music events like Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and the Oasis Live ‘25 Tour sell out extremely quickly, leaving many fans disappointed and in search of alternative ways to score themselves access.
“This leaves them vulnerable to ticket sale scams. There are lots of ways scammers are able to deceive consumers, including leading them to purchase tickets which are either fraudulent or don’t exist.
“It is anticipated that these popular events will see an influx of resellers looking to either upsell the ticket prices at outrageous costs, or scammers will be looking to make money without having any tickets, so fans need to be on their guard.
“Following the sale of Oasis tickets over the weekend, we want to share some of the best ways anyone who missed out can avoid being the victim of ticket scams. Buying direct from authorised platforms is the only way to guarantee you have purchased a real ticket. Paying by debit or credit card is an ideal way to help protect your money, and avoid buying from anyone claiming to sell tickets through social media platforms.”
Quotezone.co.uk’s tips for avoiding resale scams:
- Don’t blindly trust search results
Consumers often trust the top internet searches as the most trustworthy, however we want to urge people to double check before clicking on to web links. Unauthorised ticket resellers can easily make their way to the top of search engines through purchasing ad space.
- Only buy through reputable sources
Buying any event tickets through reputable sources and authorised sites is the only way to help guarantee you are paying for a real ticket.
- Watch out for fake error messages
In this scam, victims will see a fake error message telling them there has been an error taking their payment. Then, they will be told to make the payment again, and will be charged twice for false tickets. If you did manage to buy a ticket and have received a message or email about a payment error, check your bank statement and contact the authorised ticket seller before handing over any more money.
- Only use card payments
Chargeback and Section 75 guidance says if you pay for something by debit or credit card and you do not get the goods or services you paid for, your money is likely protected. Bank transfers offer little to no protection if something were to go wrong, so make sure to always purchase online tickets through credit or debit cards, even when buying from reputable sources.
- Unsolicited emails
In the run up to and aftermath of huge ticket sales, scammers will send unsolicited emails and texts offering deals which are normally too good to be true. Be wary of these messages and weed out any of those promising unmissable deals. If you believe you may have been the victim of a ticket sales scam, contact your bank immediately.
Quotezone helps over 4 million users every year find savings on all sorts of personal finance and insurance products – CompareNI.com can help people living in Northern Ireland.
