In the UK, concert ticket scams jump 529% in one year

The British banking group Lloyds Bank noted a 529% increase in reports between March 2022 and February 2023 according to Sky News. These complaints are explained by scams in the purchase of concert tickets. The bank notes that the frauds are often akin to the most popular concerts, such as those of Harry Styles, Lewis Capaldi, Coldplay and Calvin Harris.

And festival fans are not spared, as Lloyds Bank records a 128% rise in scams at these events. The bank notes that it is the Reading Festival which records the most fraud in the purchase of its tickets. This August mobilization from the south of England attracts thousands of festival-goers every year, seduced by its varied program (pop, rock or even metal).

Scammers follow a well-rehearsed process. They create fake websites, emails and social media accounts to reach their victims. Then they sell tickets that don't exist or for concerts that are already sold out. The British bank notes that these frauds caused the victims to lose an average of 110 pounds, approximately 123 euros.

For Liz Zieglaer, director of Lloyds Bank's fraud prevention department, "buying directly from reputable and legal platforms is the only way to ensure that what you are buying is a real place." She also advises shoppers to only pay by credit or debit card. “If you are asked to pay by bank transfer (rather than by card, editor’s note), especially when you have found the seller on social networks, this should immediately ring the alarm bells.”