Taylor Swift fans looking to secure last-minute tickets to the Australian leg of The Eras Tour are being urged to be cautious of scammers selling fake tickets on social media.
The National Anti-Scam Centre’s warning follows a recent spike in reports of scammers compromising social media accounts to sell fake Taylor Swift tickets to the hacked account’s friends list.
“The Eras Tour is the hottest ticket in town this summer, and scammers are seizing the opportunity to dupe Australian Swifties looking to buy resale tickets,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
“This scam is a low act, seeking to take advantage of fans, many of whom are young and are desperately trying to secure a ticket to make their dream of seeing Taylor Swift live come true.”
Scamwatch has already received 273 reports of people being scammed buying Taylor Swift The Eras Tour tickets via social media since tickets went on sale in Australia in June 2023. Australians have lost over $135,000 to this scam so far, with this figure likely to continue to rise. Reports are most prevalent in New South Wales (114 reports, $54,645 lost) and Victoria (96 reports, $53,607 lost), where the superstar is performing.
“We are working with law enforcement and social media platforms to combat these scams but are concerned that scam activity is only going to increase in the lead-up to Taylor Swift’s arrival in Australia in mid-February,” Ms Lowe said.
“We are urging fans to be alert to scammers and think twice before seeking to buy a ticket on social media, even if it’s from a friend or community page you trust. Be mindful that scammers have been hacking genuine accounts to appear legitimate and are tricking trusting friends or connections into buying Taylor Swift tickets that don’t exist. The safest way to get legitimate tickets to The Eras Tour is by purchasing tickets from the authorised reseller, Ticketek Marketplace,” Ms Lowe said.
How it works
The most common scan is operated through social media. An example is a Facebook post detailing how a friend, someone you know, or a trusted member of a community page selling tickets. Usually the person’s explains that they cannot go anymore, and offering to sell at a “cost”. In more cases than less, there is no concert ticket, no further contact, and the scam is complete.
Top Tips to Avoid a Scam
- The safest course is to buy tickets from an authorised ticket seller.
- If you are considering an offer on social media (and we don’t advise you do) – do your research. Independently contact your friend – via a different channel – and check it’s legit.
- Always look for secure payment options such as PayPal or Apple/Google Pay rather than providing your credit card details to the seller.
- Be alert to the fact that scams exist.
Stop – take your time before giving money or personal information. Scammers will create a sense of urgency – they might even tell you they have other interested buyers. Don’t rush to act.
Think – ask yourself if you really know who you are communicating with? Could the social media post or message be fake? Could your friend’s account be hacked?
Protect – act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank and help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch or authorities.
