Beware of ticket fraud….

Action Fraud is warning the public to take extra care when buying tickets for festivals and events online, as figures from the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime reveal almost £1 million has been lost to ticket fraud so far this year.

Data from Action Fraud reveals that 1,805 reports of ticket fraud have been made so far this year, equating to an average loss of £850 per victim. Almost two thirds of victims (61 per cent) were aged between 20 to 49 years old.

One victim lost almost £250 after joining a Facebook group where they saw someone selling two VIP tickets to a festival. The victim contacted the person selling the tickets and was informed that they only accepted payment by a digital wallet provider. The suspect claimed they would transfer the tickets to the victim as soon as payment was received, but went on to block the victim and continued to advertise the tickets on the same group.

Spot the signs of ticket fraud and protect yourself:

Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, official promoter or agent, or a well-known and reputable ticket site.

Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering your money if you become a victim of fraud.

Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Is the vendor a member of STAR? If they are, the company has signed up to their strict governing standards. STAR also offer an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service to help customers with outstanding complaints. For more information: star.org.uk/buy_safe

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300123 2040