The prospect of seeing your favourite artist live is always exciting and it’s easy to get caught up in the rush to get tickets. Yet Action Fraud reported that last year a total of £6.7million was lost to ticket fraud, with 34% of these coming from concert tickets. With the rise of resale sites and enormous ticket mark-ups, follow our Top Tips for safely buying concert tickets online to avoid the risk of scams, fake tickets and disappointment later!
TOP TIPS FOR SAFE TICKET BUYING
1. Buy tickets directly from the event’s official seller or the venue. This is always safest, and you are more likely to get a refund if the event is cancelled, moved or rescheduled. You can find out who and where these are on the event or venue websites.
2. Check that the ticket selling company are a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR).
3. If using a reselling site, such as Viagogo or StubHub check the event and artist don’t have restrictions or rules about reselling tickets before you buy. Some events state that tickets are invalid unless resold through official resale, exchange or sale outlets.
4. Be careful of deals that look too good to be true – especially if they are adverts, emails and texts.
5. Pay for tickets online with a credit or debit card. Usually, the bank will help you get your money back if there is a problem (such as fake tickets). AVOID paying by bank transfer.
6. Be wary of private sellers, as you’ll have little protection if something goes wrong. Buying tickets through a social media website or an auction site usually means you are buying from a private seller. Avoid buying tickets from someone in the street near the venue, as these may be fake.
7. When using a fan-to-fan website, such as Scarlet Mist or Twickets, check if a particular one has been recommended by the artist or event as a resale option.
8. When buying from a website, check that the company is easy to contact (do they have more than a PO Box Address and mobile number?) and that they have ‘https’ at the beginning of the web address.
9. Make a note of any unique reference numbers for your tickets that are given, especially from reselling sites.
10. Check the terms and conditions on the ticket website you use to see what happens if something goes wrong.
If something does go wrong, there are several options available. Check the terms and conditions of your original ticket, contact your bank if you paid by card, or get in contact with us!
This advice is taken from one of our trusted resources, the Citizens Advice website.
PWCAC is OPEN for face-to-face advice (appointments and drop-ins) Monday to Friday, 9:30 – 1:30. If you need advice about welfare benefits, housing and homelessness, debt, relationship breakdown, consumer issues or anything else, get in touch with us:
info@pwadvice.org | 01892 838619
94 Commercial Road, Paddock Wood, TN12 6DP
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