Keeping you and your money safe is our top priority, and we have stringent safeguarding measures in place to help protect all our customers. But there are also steps you need to take to protect yourself from fraud.
To help you identify potential scams and stay safe, we’re publishing a series of articles on fraud protection. This article looks at how to protect yourself from ticket scams.
What is a ticket scam?
A ticket scam is a fraudulent scheme where individuals or organisations deceive others into purchasing fake or invalid tickets for events such as concerts, sports games, or shows.
These scams often involve selling tickets at inflated prices or for events that don’t actually exist.
Scammers may use various tactics to trick victims, such as creating counterfeit tickets, selling tickets that have already been used, or promising access to events that are sold out or not happening at all.
Victims of ticket scams typically lose money and generally miss out on the event they intended to attend. It’s important for consumers to be cautious when buying tickets, especially from unfamiliar sources or online platforms, and to verify the legitimacy of sellers and tickets before making a purchase.
An example of a ticket scam
Emma, an avid fan of theatre, is browsing the internet for tickets to a highly anticipated Broadway show. She comes across an enticing advertisement for discounted tickets and clicks on it, leading her to an unfamiliar ticket website.
Emma can’t believe the low prices on the website and thinks she has struck gold on a great deal. Unbeknownst to her, a scammer named Joanne is operating the page as a fraudulent website.
Suddenly, a message via popup chat appears from Joanne, who is posing as a salesperson for the falsified company. Joanne’s message asks Emma if she is interested in purchasing the tickets. Emma hesitates for a moment but decides to proceed and begins filling out a form on the webpage to proceed with her purchase.
A second message appears encouraging Emma to proceed with entering her payment information and to enter the number of tickets that she requires.
Emma adds two tickets to her basket and enters her payment details. A message then appears thanking Emma for her purchase and stating that her tickets will be emailed to her shortly.
Emma waits anxiously for the tickets to arrive in her inbox. Several hours pass, but she receives nothing. Concerned, she tries to contact the website’s customer support, but there’s no response. Eventually, Emma realises that she has been scammed, but it is too late.
Emma learns a valuable lesson about the importance of buying tickets from reputable sources and avoiding suspicious websites.
Five tips on how to protect yourself from ticket scams online
1. Buy from reputable sources
Stick to well-known and trusted ticket sellers. Look for established ticket vendors with a history of positive reviews and ratings from customers. Major ticketing platforms like Ticketmaster or official event websites are generally safer options.
2. Check for secure transactions
Before entering any personal or payment information, ensure that the website has a secure connection.
Check the website’s URL for spelling errors, unusual domains, or inconsistencies. Legitimate sales websites typically use secure connections (HTTPS) and display a padlock icon in the address bar. These indicate that the site encrypts your data, making it more difficult for hackers to intercept.
3. Research the seller
If you’re buying from a lesser-known website or individual seller, do some research. Look for customer reviews, ratings, and any mentions of scams or fraudulent activity associated with the seller. Trust your instincts; if something seems off, it’s better to err on the side of caution.
4. Beware of too-good-to-be-true deals
If the ticket prices seem unusually low or the offer includes perks that are too enticing, it’s wise to be sceptical. Scammers often use unrealistically low prices or exclusive offers to lure in victims. Compare prices across multiple legitimate sources to get a sense of the market value for the tickets you want.
5. Avoid wire transfers and unusual payment methods
Legitimate ticket sellers typically offer standard payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, or secure online payment platforms.
Be cautious of sellers who insist on wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or other non-traditional payment methods. These methods offer little to no buyer protection, making it easier for scammers to disappear with your money.
Additionally, staying informed about the latest security practices, being mindful of the information you share online, and promptly reporting any suspicious activity to your bank can contribute to overall security. Regularly update your passwords and review privacy settings on your accounts to improve your overall cybersecurity.
If someone targets you
If you suspect you are being targeted or have fallen victim to a ticket scam, it’s crucial to take immediate action to mitigate potential damage and secure your accounts. You can report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or by using their online reporting tool, and you can report it to the FCA.
Another vital immediate response would be to contact your bank as soon as possible. Informing your bank about any suspected fraudulent attacks will allow a temporary freeze to be placed on the account, thereby limiting the scammers actions.
Informing other relevant parties, such as financial institutions, credit card companies and any other relevant service providers will also enable you to take additional steps to secure your accounts, as well as helping you to monitor any suspicious activity in the first instance.
If you’ve been a victim, you can also get free specialist help from Victim Support.
More information on ticket scams
Some of the organisations and websites we’ve listed above provide a treasure trove of information, guidance and resources. You can also use a domain checker site, such as who.is to view a sites registration history.
Newly created ticket websites are less likely to be legitimate, so consider double checking a suspicious sites birthday before falling into any fraudulent traps. You can also report dodgy websites using these services, which will help others avoid falling prey to them.
Additionally, ticket scam websites can also be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.
As well as checking the FCA’s Register and Warning List, you can also find other information for consumers and firms on the FCA website.
Action Fraud, the UK’s cybercrime reporting centre, also has plenty of useful resources, including an information page which focusses specifically on ticket scams – as does Victim Support.
Finally, we’re always more than happy to help our customers. If you’ve got any concerns or questions about the security of your Currencies Direct funds, or need guidance in relation to a transfer, please do get in touch.
You might also want to read our article on bank imitation websites, as the two types of scams share some similarities regarding fraudulent online websites and transactions.
