Safely booking event tickets online campaign for North Wales

Thousands of music and sports fans in the UK fall victim to online ticket scams each year. Despite this, over half of UK consumers believe that social media is a safe place to buy tickets.

To combat this issue, Get Safe Online, along with North Wales Police and the office of North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin, is launching a campaign to provide expert advice on safe online ticket purchasing.

Tony Neate, CEO at Get Safe Online commented: “You wouldn’t pay a stranger in a pub up-front for a concert or sports ticket, so why do it online? When buying tickets on the internet never pay by bank transfer and stick to reputable platforms. And remember, if something seems too good to be true, however desperate you are to get hold of a ticket, it probably is.”

Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, commented: “Combating cyber crime is a key part of my plan for fighting crime in North Wales and protecting the rights of consumers is very important to me. Scammers and fraudsters can use a variety of ways to part honest and trusting people from their hard-earned money and I hope this campaign from my office, Get Safe Online and North Wales Police will alert people to the dangers of ticket fraud and give them helpful advice on how to purchase products safely from reputable sources.”

DC Rachel Roberts, Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer, North Wales Police: “Every year, as the summer approaches, we see an increase in fraudulent adverts online offering tickets for sale. In some cases, victims have attended events with fake tickets, only to be turned away at the door. Not only is this disappointing but victims may also have paid for travel and accommodation. Always follow the guidance and purchase tickets from a reputable source.”

Get Safe Online’s expert advice on booking tickets:

 However desperate you are to go to a gig or event don’t buy tickets from anyone apart from official vendors, the box office or regulated ticket marketplaces.

Consider that tickets advertised on any other source such as auction sites, social media and fan forums have a high chance of being fake or non-existent, however authentic the seller may seem and whether they’re advertised below, above or at face value.

Don’t be tempted to click on social media, text or email links or attachments offering tickets, as they could link to fraudulent or malware sites.

Paying for tickets by bank transfer – however much you want them – could result in losing money. It’s always best to pay by credit card, for additional protection.

Check sellers’ privacy and returns policies. Ensure the site offers a guarantee or consumer protection for peace of mind.

Double-check all details of purchases before confirming payment.

Before buying online, check that the page is genuine (carefully enter the address yourself, not from a link) and secure (‘https’ and a locked padlock), and log out when you’ve completed the transaction. You could check if a website is likely to be legitimate or fraudulent at www.getsafeonline.org/checkawebsite 

Keep receipts until after the event so you have proof of purchase.

If also searching and booking accommodation, follow advice on doing so safely and securely, which can be found at: www.getsafeonline.org/personal/articles/holiday-and travel-booking  

 For everything you need to know about protecting yourself from ticket fraud, visit: www.getsafeonline.org/buyingticketssafely 

 They advise against paying by bank transfer and recommend sticking to reputable platforms.