Avoid Scams When Purchasing Concert Tickets Online

With her iconic and seemingly ubiquitous Eras tour, singer-songwriter extraordinaire Taylor Swift has fulfilled the dreams of many fans, taking the music world by storm. However, in order to experience Swift’s brilliance in person, you need one crucial thing: a ticket. Owing to their elusiveness, many fans have started seeking these prized concert passports via shady portals, resulting in them getting embroiled in heartbreaking scams.

To avoid the painful financial and emotional ramifications of being a victim of scams, you need to be extremely wary. Next time you go online to get a ticket to an artist’s concert, ensure you keep the following tips in mind.

The Canadian Press/Ashley Joannou

Verify the Identity of the Seller

Many online sites might appear trustworthy at first glance. However, they may actually be trying to lull you into a false sense of security, making you more inclined to fall for their trap. To avoid being scammed, carefully examine the URL and verify whether there are any spelling mistakes; scammers may duplicate URLs of legitimate sites and make slight modifications to fool you. Additionally, ensure that the seller belongs to the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB). If either of these conditions is not satisfied, hop off that site immediately.

Stick to Credit Card Payments

Money transfer applications like Venmo and PayPal may save you time but they could also cost you a hefty dime. It is hard to obtain reimbursements when using such applications, which do not have stringent security measures. Instead, you can opt for using credit cards, which offer robust fraud protection, shielding you from unnecessary financial and emotional nightmares. When tickets are flying like hotcakes, it can be hard to choose a slower payment option; however, those extra seconds spent on getting the tickets more securely could save you from a lifetime of financial ruin.

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Ask to Meet Sellers in Person

Many counterfeit ticket sellers operate from the shadows by creating aliases for their names and even addresses, decreasing their risk of being exposed. Therefore, before making any purchase, reach out to the seller and ask to meet them in person. They may waive off your concerns by noting the satisfaction of previous buyers or citing geographical concerns; hold your ground. If a buyer is unable to connect with you physically, it means they may be potentially untrustworthy, and you are probably better off getting your tickets elsewhere.

Be on Guard Against Speculative Ticketing

Speculative ticketing is the practice of selling tickets that do not actually exist. Sellers convince potential buyers they will give them tickets when they are available, only to end up ghosting them. Sadly, this means that victims waste valuable time they could have spent on purchasing tickets from legitimate sites. This results in them needing to resort to outbid resellers for buying them instead, creating a gaping hole in their pockets. Next time you need to get tickets, clearly confirm whether they are available via other sources; if they are not, wait before proceeding further.

Steer Clear of Deals That are Too Good to be True

On the 25th of November, an arrest was made for a woman who had scammed many out of approximately 70,000 CAD by selling fake Taylor Swift concert tickets on Facebook Marketplace; she coaxed people into falling for her scheme by offering heavily discounted tickets on the site. As desperate as you may be to secure a ticket to a particular artist’s concert, be mindful that certain deals—no matter how sweet—are definitely worth passing up. If a seller is offering tickets at a much lower price than other resellers, it is best to stay far away and avoid taking any unnecessary risks.

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Pay the Price of a Real Ticket

Concerts are once-in-a-lifetime experiences for many fans, with some saving up money for years to fulfill their dream of seeing their favorite musician on tour. Considering how precious this money is, do everything you can to ensure it is spent on a verifiable ticket from a legitimate source. Check with knowledgeable friends, read reliable reviews online, and scrupulously verify ticket sites’ URLs—zoom in using a magnifying glass if necessary! No ticket is worth the price of your mental and financial stability. Keep these tips close to your heart the next time you see a juicy ticket deal online and please remember to stay safe!

For more articles about concerts, click here to read about Burning Man.