Oasis followers warned of ticket scams as reunion tour sparks frenzy amongst | UK | News | EUROtoday

Oasis followers scrambling for last-minute tickets forward of probably the most eagerly awaited tour of the yr are being focused by scammers who may steal over £2m from individuals determined to see the reunion retailers. The Britpop legends kick off their 13-date Uk tour on Friday night time in Cardiff and absorb Manchester, London and Edinburgh earlier than heading to Dublin after which Canada.

But with all of the exhibits sold-out the hunt for ticket has intensified with international fraudsters trying to swindle followers out of their hard-earned money.

Security specialists say forward of in search of secondary tickets Oasis followers ought to educate themselves on how you can spot a rip-off, with new knowledge launched by Action Fraud revealing scams are extra widespread than ever earlier than.

Last summer season the general public misplaced £1.6 million in scams referring to live shows in 2024, greater than double the determine from the earlier yr. The determine was impacted by Taylor Swift’s epic Era’s Tour however the variety of victims is anticipated to be even bigger this yr, with the Oasis Live 25 Reunion Tour the spotlight of a string of huge identify summer season dates together with Coldplay, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Stevie Wonder, in addition to festivals like Glastonbury, Download, Isle of Wight, Leeds/Reading and All Points East.

A reported 14 million individuals tried to purchase tickets for Oasis after they first went on sale, with an estimated 1.4 million bought, leaving an enormous variety of followers in search of tickets from resellers.

To assist Oasis followers keep protected when shopping for second hand tickets, Sarah Knowles cyber safety knowledgeable at Shift Key Cyber, shares her prime recommendations on how you can spot a ticket rip-off:

Where to identify a rip-off

Bots on X

“Bots on social media sites including X, are fake profiles that are controlled via the X API. In simple terms, this means the software autonomously performs actions such as posting, re-posting, liking, following, unfollowing or direct messaging other accounts.

“In the case of concert and event tickets, the bots will share a post claiming they have a ticket for sale, or will reply to anyone who has shared a post about looking for tickets.

“A Bot account will usually be following a large number of people, but have very few followers. They may also have an AI-generated profile photo, or the profile location may be in a different country from the event in question.

“If you are looking for second-hand tickets on X, be very mindful of Bots and do not give any of your personal information or send across payment unless you are 100% sure the account is genuine.”

Facebook fan teams

“Dedicated event groups or fan groups of the performing artist (such as Oasis in this case) are also a key target for scammers.

“Watch out for Bots responding to any posts about buying or selling tickets using the same method.”

Fake resale social media accounts

“The safest way to buy a second-hand ticket is through a face-value ticket resale platform, like Twickets, or the Ticketmaster resale page. These sites have a guarantee in place to protect buyers if tickets are not as described or are invalid. Sellers are also protected if a buyer claims they didn’t receive the tickets.

“However, fraudsters are now creating social media profiles and even websites that mimic the pages of resale like Twickets, in an attempt to trick buyers.

“It’s vital that you stop and think before making a purchase, and research the website you are buying from. Make sure it is an official resale partner by referring to the official event website.”

Vinted and Ebay

“This isn’t the most common form of ticketing scam anymore, but it does still happen from time to time.

“If you see a seller offering tickets to an event for way more than face value, or asking for buyers to bid for the highest price, stay away.”

How have you learnt should you’ve been scammed?

Sarah provides: “There are some telltale signs that you’ve been a victim of a ticket scam, including:  Being asked to send money via bank transfer: “Reputable ticket vendors will never ask for payment via personal bank transfer. You should also not be asked to make a payment until you have proof that the tickets have been sent, or until you have met in person to exchange the tickets.”

Non-delivery: “The tickets you purchased are then not sent, or appear to be delayed in the post.”

Failed or second funds: “Be wary of error messages claiming your first payment failed and asking for a second one.”

You are being pressured into making a purchase order shortly: “If the seller is pressuring you to buy the tickets immediately, this is a huge red flag as they are clearly trying to get hold of your money as quickly as possible.”

Communication points after cost: “If you hear nothing from the seller as soon as you’ve made the payment, it’s likely you’ve been scammed.”

Sarah  stated: “If you think you have been a victim of a ticket scam, report it to Action Fraud or your local police immediately. It’s important to always use your credit card when buying event tickets, as you are then protected by your bank and they should be able to recover the funds for you.”