Taylor Swift Tickets Scam
Author: Adam Collins
You probably dream of seeing your Idol Taylor Swift perform live. Hence, when you hear Swift's Eras tour, you jump with joy only to miss out on the tickets. However, as luck would have it, you come across a Facebook post of someone selling their four tickets. Your heart beats with joy as your dream as a Swiftie is one step closer. Sadly, it turns out to be a scam which has been a common theme with many Taylor Swift fans who have lost over £1m.
According to Lloyds Bank, 600 customers reported losing money to the scam with the average being £332 with some losing as much as £1000. So, how do you spot a fake Taylor Swift ticket scam and how can you avoid it?
How Did The Taylor Swift Tickets Scam Work?
With the Swift's Eras tour tickets selling quickly, it made fans who missed out desperate which made scammers go all out. According to Lloyds Bank, most of the Taylor Swift scam starts on Facebook with scammers claiming to have extra tickets.
Source: Facebook
Source: Twitter
Once you engage them, they will take your money and fail to deliver the tickets. In most cases, they will not even respond to your messages and their Facebook account will most likely be closed down. To avoid being taken down by Facebook, they will post about the tickets only to remove the posts a few hours later. Thus, when Facebook investigates, they will not see the post.
Red Flags and Warning Signs
Here are some red flags to watch out for when purchasing tickets online:
- Too Good to Be True Prices- If the price is significantly lower than the market value, it's likely a scam.
- Urgency and Pressure- Scammers often create a sense of urgency, insisting you act quickly or miss out.
A scammer trying to pressure a customer into making a quick payment
- Payment Methods- Be wary if the seller asks for payment through unsecured methods like bank transfers or payment apps.
- Lack of Detailed Information- Genuine sellers will typically provide detailed information about the tickets and the event.
- New or Unverified Accounts- Check the seller's profile. New accounts with little activity can be a red flag. You can also learn a lot about a person’s intentions by going through their social media profiles.
Real-Life Example
Consider the case of Sarah, a devoted Taylor Swift fan. Sarah came across a Facebook post offering four tickets to the Eras tour. The seller claimed to have a family emergency and needed to sell the tickets quickly at a discounted price. Excited and eager, Sarah transferred the money but never received the tickets. The seller disappeared, and Sarah's dream of seeing Taylor Swift was shattered, along with her savings.
How to Protect Yourself Against Ticket Scams
Ticket scams will always take many forms whether you are buying Taylor Swift’s tickets or getting Olympic tickets. To avoid this, there are many different ways you can use to protect yourself against ticket scams;
Research the Seller
Before purchasing tickets, research the company or individual selling them. Stick to buying tickets from official sources such as the venue, the promoter (like Live Nation), or authorized agents like Ticketmaster. Trusted ticket exchange sites can also be safe options.
Avoid Unverified Search Results
Be cautious when using search engines like Google to find tickets. Scammers can pay for ads to appear at the top of search results, making their fraudulent listings look legitimate. Always verify the authenticity of the website you’re buying from.
Look for Accreditation
Check for logos or certifications that indicate the seller is reputable. For example, the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) logo means the vendor adheres to strict industry standards.
Use Secure Payment Methods
Never pay for tickets via bank transfer, especially when dealing with someone you don’t know. Credit cards or payment services like PayPal offer better protection and a higher chance of recovering your money if you fall victim to fraud.
Be Cautious of Unexpected Offers
Watch out for emails, texts, or ads that promise amazing ticket deals out of the blue. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always double-check the source before you go ahead with any purchase.
Bottom Line: Be Wary of Taylor Swift Ticket Scams
The excitement of seeing Taylor Swift live should not come at the cost of falling victim to a scam. Anyone offering tickets on Facebook is likely not a legitimate seller and should be approached with extreme caution. Scammers often use social media platforms to lure in unsuspecting fans with fake tickets.
Always verify the authenticity of the tickets and the seller before making any purchases. Stick to official ticketing websites or authorized resellers to avoid being duped.
Image Source: Unsplash.com
Report a Scam!
Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!
Scam Categories
Help & Info
Popular Stories
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller. The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the