While ticket touts have become the big issue for the live sector to address in recent years, vastly inflated prices are not the only way that fans can be cheated by bad actors.
With potential action on the secondary ticketing market underway (assuming music-friendly new PM Andy Burnham brings the legislation forward), the government is also looking at tackling ticket fraud.
The government and O2 have teamed up to urge the public to ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ and to always use official ticketing websites.
With more huge shows still to come this summer – including The Weeknd (pictured) playing five nights at Wembley Stadium, Ariana Grande doing 10 O2s and a trio of Wembley gigs for Bon Jovi – gig-goers are being advised to take caution over last-minute tickets for sale on social media.
The campaign has been launched as new research by O2 reveals the amount lost to ticket fraud in the last year reached £150 million.
Ticket fraud occurs when fans buy tickets from a website or social media platform, but the tickets either don’t arrive or turn out to be fake.
The government recently delivered £250 million of investment to crack down on fraud and protect the public earlier, as part of a new fraud strategy. It established a new Online Crime Centre to bring together police and industry to disrupt scams at source and enhance support for victims.
As part of this national intervention, the Stop! Think Fraud campaign aims to make it easier for the public to recognise fraud and take steps to protect themselves.
The polling commissioned by O2 shows that 14% of gig-goers surveyed have bought a fake ticket with over three quarters (77%) of the tickets bought via online platforms.
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 nationally representative respondents in the UK. The data was collected in late June.
Censuswide’s polling shows that no age group was immune to these scams, but those aged 18 to 24 faced the highest risk with 31% reporting being sold a fake ticket compared to the lowest of 4% of those aged 55+.
Scammers exploit our excitement and desperation to see our favourite artists live
Lord Hanson
O2, which sponsors 21 venues across the UK and sold more than 1.7 million tickets via Priority Tickets last year, has campaigned alongside FanFair Alliance since 2017 for a fairer and more transparent ticketing market.
Last year, O2 launched Stamp It Tout, an online hub designed to help music fans navigate the resale market safely and avoid being ripped off by ticket touts and scammers.
As well as tackling fraud, plans have been announced to make it illegal for tickets to live events to be resold for more than their original cost, which would eliminate industrial-scale ticket touting.
Richard Davies, founder of ethical resale platform Twickets, expressed hopes for the legislation to be enacted as the company reported record first-half results last week.
However, there was disappointment earlier this year when the government failed to prioritise legislative action following the consultation process and decision to go for a ticket resale policy that rules out profit and inflated fees.
According to today’s statement, the government is taking the time to get their approach right by bringing forward draft legislation to ensure that the measures are “truly effective, enforceable and future-proof and fans get the protection and security they have always deserved”.
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said: “Fraud is an absolutely shameful crime, and this data shows that anyone can be a victim. Scammers exploit our excitement and desperation to see our favourite artists live. They post fake messages on social media seeking to catch fans when their guard is down in a last-minute rush for tickets.
“I urge everyone to Stop! Think Fraud before buying tickets – let’s not let scammers get in the way of enjoying concerts this summer.”
Ticketing scams are a blight on the UK's live music industry, and it's heartbreaking to see so many fans being targeted
Gareth Griffiths
Gareth Griffiths, director, partnerships and sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, said: “Ticketing scams are a blight on the UK's live music industry, and it's heartbreaking to see so many fans being targeted. Seeing your favourite artist live should be an exciting experience, not one that leaves you out of pocket or turned away at the door. That's why O2 is encouraging fans to stay vigilant, buy tickets only from official authorised services and use capped fan-to-fan resale platforms when a show is sold out.”
Adam Webb, campaign manager, FanFair Alliance, said: "Nobody should get scammed when attempting to buy a ticket. To prevent that from occurring, I would urge fans to avoid recommendations on search engines or social media. Go to the artist or event website and only use official authorised ticket services or capped fan-to-fan resale."
The government outlined the following steps the public can take to keep themselves safe from ticket fraud:
– If you’re offered tickets for something in high demand don’t let the fear of missing out rush your decision. Take a moment to stop, think, and check if the offer is genuine.
– Only buy tickets from an official ticketing website. Artists will always link to official ticket sellers in posts on their social media and official websites.
– Never move away from an official payment platform to make a direct payment via bank transfer or virtual currency. Use the site’s recommended payment methods to stay protected.
– Remember buying second hand tickets comes with risks and while some platforms may offer a refund for ticket scams, they cannot guarantee entry to a show.
PHOTO: Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Live Nation
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