You did it! You finally found tickets to a show or sporting event everyone wants to attend. Sure, the official site says it's sold out, but you discovered a bargain. A seller on social media said they have two tickets left. And better yet, they're asking a decent price for them.
Your heart jumps. It's a deal too good to pass up.
Or is it?
When a ticket sale feels rushed, unofficial, or far better than the market price, take a second to stop and check. A few careful checks now can save you from losing money and missing the event.
Here's what you need to know about ticket scams.
How ticket scams work
Ticket scams operate in a few different ways, but the general pattern stays much the same:
- An unofficial seller lists tickets for sale.
- Someone buys them by transferring money to the seller.
- The buyer doesn't get anything. Or they get fake tickets. They miss out on the event and lose their money.
Here are some of the ways these scams take place:
- A scammer might list tickets on a legitimate resale site, then send you a ticket that is altered, duplicated, or completely fake. You only discover the problem when the bar code fails at the gate.
- Scammers build websites that look like genuine ticket sellers. The logos look familiar. The layout feels real. You pay, receive a confirmation email, and later learn the site has no connection to the event at all. The tickets never arrive because they never existed.
- Some sellers advertise ‘VIP’ tickets with early entry or premium seating. The ticket might be real, but the extras are not. You pay a high price for benefits that the venue doesn't even offer.
- You might receive a phishing email or text claiming that extra tickets just became available. The message pushes you to act quickly. When you click the link, you land on a payment page that captures your card details, which are stolen by the scammer.
- A scammer might hack someone’s social media account and message their contacts about spare tickets. Because the message appears to come from someone you know, you think you can trust it. But if you send money without confirming it with the real person you know, you risk paying a criminal who never had tickets in the first place.
Look out for these red flags
When tickets sell out and you're desperate to attend the event or festival, you're just about ready to take up any deal you come across. You're under pressure, and that's exactly what scammers exploit.
Before you send any money or share any personal details, look out for these red flags:
- The official seller says the event is sold out, but someone else has a whole bunch of tickets available.
- Someone contacts you through social media about tickets. For example, a stranger might reply to your post asking for tickets or message you out of the blue.
- The deal is lower than the market price. If tickets to a high-demand show seem easy to secure at a surprisingly low price, stop and reassess.
- The website contains spelling errors or an unusual payment page. Check the web address carefully. If the payment portal looks unfamiliar or inconsistent, don't enter your card details.
- The seller asks for a direct bank transfer. When someone requests payment straight into a bank account, you carry the risk. If you can't confirm the ticket is genuine before transferring money, don't go ahead with the sale.
How to protect yourself before you pay
Before you enter your card details, pause and run through these checks. They take just a couple of minutes but can save you from losing the full ticket price.
- Have you confirmed the authorised seller for the event? Go to the promoter’s website, the venue’s website, or the official page of the artist or sporting club. Check who they list as the official ticket seller. Buy through that seller.
- Is there an official resale platform for this event? Some events nominate a specific resale partner. If that option exists, use it instead of private sellers.
- Are you sure the top search result is the authorised seller? Paid ads often appear above official sites. Have a read of the web address before you click, and make sure the domain matches the authorised seller listed on the promoter or venue page.
- Is the website secure and consistent? Look for ‘https’ at the start of the web address and a padlock symbol in the browser bar. Read the page closely. If the wording reads a bit off or the layout looks unusual, stop before entering your details.
- Have you checked the ticket conditions? Read any restrictions attached to the ticket. Find out whether the ticket is transferable and if ID is required at entry.
What to do if you’ve been scammed when buying tickets
If you realise you paid for a fake ticket, take action right away. The sooner you respond, the better your chances of limiting the damage.
First, contact your bank. Tell them what happened and give them the transaction details. They can review the payment and let you know what to do.
Next, stop all contact with the seller. Don't send more money or click on any links they send you. Save all messages and confirmation emails.
Then, report the incident to ScamWatch.
Finally, don't blame yourself. Scammers are sophisticated, and they prey on emotions. You were excited. You felt rushed. Everything looked genuine enough.
Going forward, you'll know exactly what to look for and when to walk away from a deal that really is too good to be true.