How to avoid gig and festival ticket scams

Millions of pounds are lost every year due to ticket scams - but do you know the red flags?
In this guide, I’ll explain how to spot scammers and how to protect yourself and what to do if the worst does happen. 

Ticket scam red flags to watch out for

Ticket scams happen when criminals advertise tickets that are fake, duplicated or do not exist. 

They often target popular concerts, festivals or sporting events, knowing that fans are looking for tickets and may feel under pressure to act quickly. 

A huge £150 million was lost in the last year due to ticket fraud in the UK, according to research by O2. 

Ideally you should only buy tickets from the official seller or reseller - but if you really want to see an event and it’s sold out, then you may be tempted to buy from elsewhere or via social media. 

Scammers may also create fake websites or social media adverts. 

What to look out for when buying tickets: 

• Tickets being advertised before they are officially on sale 

• Tickets being sold via a social media account that is new or has only a few interactions 

• A very cheap price compared to official sellers if the event is sold out 

• Pressure to buy the ticket because another buyer is supposedly waiting 

• Asking to move the conversation off the platform and onto WhatsApp, text message or email 

• Being asked to pay via bank transfer, gift card of PayPal Friends and Family 

• The name on the bank account does not match the seller’s name 

• Vague information about the seat, entrance, booking reference or original ticket provider

How to safely buy tickets

The safest way to buy a ticket is via the artist, venue, festival or promoter’s official website. The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, known as STAR, also has a directory of members that follow their code. If you buy via one of those, then you can use its free-dispute resolution service if something goes wrong. 

If tickets have sold out, then you could use a reselling platform like Twickets - but this is strictly at your own risk. Sometimes artists will appoint an official reseller, and you are safest if you use them. 

How to protect yourself against scams

I’ll explain the best way to protect yourself against ticket scams. You should avoid paying via bank transfer. If you are tricked into sending money to a fraudster, then this is known as an authorised push payment, or APP, scam. 

You should get refunded within five working days, but some more complex cases can take up to 35 working days. The bank may deduct an excess of £100, and it can refuse a claim, if it can prove you were extremely careless. 

A total of 88% of money claimed following APP scams between October 2024 and March 2026 were returned to victims, according to the Payment Systems Regulator. 

Pay via credit or debit card

If you can use a credit card to pay over £100 (and under £30,000) then you would be protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, if anything goes wrong with your ticket sale. 

If you pay via debit card then you could be covered using chargeback. 

This means you can ask your card provider to recover the lost money if, for example, the ticket never arrived or was fake. 

Claims generally need to be made within 120 days of the purchase of the ticket or date of the event. 

Paying via PayPal 

If you use PayPal to pay then you may be covered by the Buyer Protection if the item doesn’t turn up or is significantly different from its description. 

Never use PayPal Friends and Family and buy from a stranger. These are classed as personal transfers and are not covered by the Buyer Protection. 

What to do if you’ve been scammed

You need to act quickly if you think you’ve bought a fake ticket 

Contact your bank or payment provider straight away. Explain that you’ve been a victim of a scam and ask whether the payment can be stopped, recalled or disputed. If you paid by card, ask about chargeback or Section 75. If you used PayPal then open a dispute through its Resolution Centre. 

Get as much evidence as you can, take screenshots of the listing, the seller’s profile, any details you have such as email addresses or phone numbers. 

You should report the seller to the platform or social media site so it can re report. Then, if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland then you can report it to Report Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, report fraud to Police Scotland by calling 101. 

Change any passwords on your accounts. If you use that password elsewhere make sure to change those accounts too. Tell your bank immediately if you shared any card details or online banking information.