
Ticket buyers for Taylor Swift’s sold-out UK concerts are the focus of an alarming uptick in fraud cases, prompting Lloyds Bank to issue an “urgent warning.”
Regrettably, these frauds have affected more than 600 of their banking clients.
According to the high street bank, UK fans have tragically lost almost £1 million to crooks. This is just in time for the superstar’s upcoming arrival in Europe next month.
Swift is planning an incredible 15 performances in the UK. The tour will spend eight nights at London’s Wembley Stadium and stop in three cities: Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Liverpool.
She will wow an audience of approximately 1.2 million people across the series of concerts, which starts in Edinburgh on 7 June. When tickets became available for sale last year, demand significantly outstripped supply. Many dissatisfied spectators turned to social media and internet ticket marketplaces for Swift tickets. Because of these favorable circumstances (desperate fans), con artists can prey on people more easily via various internet frauds.
Customer scam allegations led Lloyds to conclude that there was a spike in fraudulent activity with the star’s Eras Tour ticket sales.
Compared to other music acts, the study claims 600 people have reported being defrauded since tickets went on sale last summer.
The average loss for each victim was £332, although it was more than $1,000 in other cases.
Fake ads or postings on Facebook were found to be the source of most reported incidents. Facebook Marketplace insists that selling and purchasing concert tickets is legitimate.
All UK events are sold out. Therefore, according to a bank spokeswoman, there’s a bigger chance that fans may fall victim to ticket fraud in the following weeks and months. The time immediately before the tour and the June performances are also included.
People should exercise caution when dealing with online purchasing scams that claim to sell concert tickets or other products that do not exist.
The bank’s director of fraud protection, Liz Ziegler, is worried about con artists attempting to steal tickets from Swift’s devoted fan base.
To guarantee legitimacy, be wary and suspicious of any merchant on social media who requests money by bank transfer.
Official resale services for Taylor Swift tickets in the UK are handled by ticketing firms AXS and Ticketmaster.
If you want to purchase tickets, watch these services in the coming days and weeks. Some people who originally ordered tickets may no longer be able to attend due to vacations, sickness, or changes in circumstances.