Are those tickets you’re buying on Facebook legit?

Ticket scams—heavily concentrated on Facebook—are increasingly happening to smart people who never imagined falling victim to one. 

Rushing to secure tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, over 3,000 fans were scammed out of an estimated £1 million (over $1.2 million) in Britain alone, according to Lloyd’s Bank.

So, to counter scammers, Matthew Smith, COO of Ticket Festival, offers his effective guidelines for avoiding Facebook festival ticket scams and enjoying every party you pay for.

Reg Flags to Watch Out For

There’s more than one trick that festival ticket scammers use which you should be aware of. See a few here:

1. Fake Facebook accounts

This is an easy one. Scammers hide behind a fake page and ask for wire transfer payments. They might even direct you to an external webpage from Facebook for digital transactions.

Once they receive the money, they stop responding, block the user, or even delete the page. 

2. Fake Websites

Creating websites is simple and can be done in under an hour. 

Scammers design sites with names similar to the legitimate ones, like “summerfoodfest.com” instead of “summerfoodfestival.com.” They also create listings on legitimate resale platforms to sell non-existent tickets.

3. Counterfeit Tickets

Imagine buying tickets to see your favourite singer on Facebook’s marketplace, transferring money, and receiving what seems like valid tickets. On the day of the concert, you eagerly wait in line, but when your ticket is scanned, you hear a loud “beep!” The ticket checker says, “This is a fake ticket. Please step out of the line.”

4. Duplicate Tickets

There is another version of the story above. Maybe the checker goes, “This ticket has already been used.” Congratulations, you’ve been sold a duplicate ticket. 

5. Ticket Laundering

Scammers buy tickets using stolen credit card information and resell them at a profit. Upon fraud discovery, the tickets are invalidated.

6. Non-Delivery

Here, the scammer takes the money, promising to send the ticket soon. 

As you wait, you initially assume there’s a delay or network issue. But as time passes and your attempts to contact the ‘seller’ go unanswered, you gradually realise there were never any tickets coming your way.

7. Last-Minute Scams

Matthew warns, “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.” 

Scammers capitalise on buyers’ FOMO, offering tempting last-minute deals before pulling off a disappearing act. Remember, it’s easy for them to have a pressurising conversation with you on a chatting platform like Facebook Messenger.

8. Social Engineering

Scammers often pretend to be fellow fans or sympathetic individuals, claiming to sell extra tickets they can’t use. From “My girlfriend is in the hospital” to “My flight got delayed”, they have all the best emotional excuses. 

They may lure you in with discounted prices or even sell tickets at inflated prices for sold-out events since the high prices may make the scam seem more legitimate.

So, while buying tickets on Facebook–and anywhere else for that matter—use an investigator’s eye.

How to Stay Safe and Enjoy the Show 

“It’s easy to get caught up in emotions amidst the excitement of a chance to see your favourite icon performing in front of you. The fear that tickets might be sold out soon also builds up the urgency. But be careful to not let these things cloud your judgement in the rush to get tickets,” says Matthew.

You can use the following checklist to ensure a safe and smooth Facebook festival ticket-purchasing experience:

1. Buy from Official Sources

Skip Facebook and purchase tickets directly from the official websites, authorised ticket sellers, or reputable resellers. You can check a website’s authenticity using services offered by organisations like BBB or NATB.

2. Check the URL

Ensure the website URL is legitimate. A legitimate website address is usually a name followed by “.com” or a country-specific address like “.co.us.”

A scam site might have other letters and numbers around it. Websites with secure connections start with “https://.” Also, look for a padlock symbol in the address bar.

3. Watch Out for Fake Reviews

If they can create fake pages and websites, they can create fake accounts for reviews. 

4. Ask Yourself, Is It Too Good to Be True? 

If the ticket price is significantly lower than the official price, it might be a scam.

5. Verify Ticket Authenticity

If possible, contact the event organisers or the official ticketing company directly to confirm the ticket’s authenticity.

6. Avoid Wire Transfers

Use secure payment methods like credit cards or PayPal, which offer protection against fraud. Avoid paying via wire transfer or prepaid debit cards.

7. Examine the Ticket

Don’t forget about Photoshop and AI images. Examine your tickets for signs of tampering, such as mismatched fonts, poor print quality, or missing holograms.

8. Look for Contact Information

Legitimate sellers will have clear contact information and customer service options. Be wary if this information is missing or hard to find.

Damage control – What to do if you’re a victim

If you encounter fraudulent ticket sales online:

1. Report it to the police or your area’s cybercrime department.
   
2. If you’ve used a social media platform like Facebook, report there. Even if you don’t get a refund, reporting can lead to the scammer losing their account or being caught, preventing others from being victimised.
   
3. If you’ve made a payment, contact your bank right away—they may be able to stop the transaction.

Remember, prevention is better than cure. Matthew finishes with, “This kind of situation really requires buyer awareness, so be smart about how you shop.”