How to avoid scams when buying Taylor Swift tickets

Taylor Swift’s 2024 UK Tour tickets are set to go on sale, and scammers will be looking to take advantage of fans who miss out on tickets.

If you don’t get lucky in the general sale, you might be tempted to try and buy a ticket from a reseller – either an ‘agent’ or another fan posting that they now can’t attend the event. But you’ll need to be extra careful, as sold-out events attract fraudsters selling dodgy or non-existent tickets.

Read on to learn about how to stay safe when buying event tickets.

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What is ticket fraud?

Ticket fraud occurs when you buy tickets for an event – usually online – and they either don’t arrive or you’re sent fake tickets. When you try to get a refund, the seller or website you bought the tickets from either refuses or is nowhere to be found.

This form of fraud is on the rise. Data from Action Fraud shows that £6.7m was lost to ticket fraud in 2022, while Lloyds Bank reported a huge increase in concert ticket scams between 2022 and 2023.

Fans buying tickets from ‘resellers’, such as third-party companies or individuals who say they’ve bought tickets but now can’t make the event, are particularly vulnerable to scams.

Criminals can spoof genuine websites and use fake images to convince you what they’re offering is legitimate. Scams can be difficult to spot, and you might be especially vulnerable to falling victim at a time when you’re desperate to get tickets to see your favourite artist.

 Five tips for buying tickets safely

• Stick to official retailers: It’s always best to buy from official websites. Ticketmaster and AXS are the official ticketing partners for Taylor Swift’s tour. In the event of a sell-out, some artists and promoters partner with resale sites such as Twickets, which only allows tickets to be resold at face value or below. Other resale websites exist, but most aren't affiliated with artists and allow resellers to charge whatever they want.
• Only enter official competitions: You should only enter ticket competitions advertised by legitimate brands on their official channels and websites. You can use who.is to check when a website was created. A newly created website can be a red flag.
• Be alert to scammers on social media: Buying tickets from strangers on social media can leave you open to being scammed. In particular, you should watch out for newly set-up profiles that follow no one or have no followers. These accounts may have been opened specifically to scam people looking to buy tickets. You can also use reverse image search to check where profile images originate from.
• Avoid offers that seem too good to be true: When buying tickets for sold-out events, be wary of prices that seem too cheap, as fraudsters may be using these to lure you in.
• Don’t pay by bank transfer: Fraudsters will sometimes try to get you to make bank transfers or pay in Bitcoin. If you do choose to buy tickets from an individual seller, try to pay using a credit card so you’re protected by Section 75. Alternatively, PayPal has its own Buyer Protection system.

If you’ve lost money to a scammer, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card. Report the scam to Action Fraud or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.