Key takeaways

Buy from the organiser, the venue box office, or an authorised seller. If a stranger or a hijacked social media account wants payment before you can see a ticket you can verify, treat it as a scam.

  • Scamwatch warns that scammers take over a friend’s social media account to sell tickets that do not exist, and that victims get no ticket and no further contact after paying.
  • Ticketmaster says the only way to know tickets are authentic is to buy directly from Ticketmaster or the venue box office, and that it cannot verify tickets bought from a third party.
  • Ticketmaster says it will never ask for gift cards, money orders, or wire transfers as payment, and does not charge a fee to change a name on tickets or transfer them.

Got a name, website, or phone number from the sender or seller? Check the scam directory.

How a ticket scam works

A ticket scam sells you a seat that does not exist, a ticket that has been sold more than once, or a copy that fails at the door. The sale usually happens where you cannot easily check the seller: a social media post, a message from someone who seems to be a friend, a website that imitates the real box office, or a stranger on a classifieds site. Demand does the rest. In its alert on fake Taylor Swift tickets, Scamwatch said more than 270 people had reported being scammed, mostly in New South Wales and Victoria, with more expected before her Australian concerts.

The most common social media version is an account takeover. Scamwatch describes scammers taking over a friend’s or acquaintance’s account and using their contact list. The message says the person cannot attend and is selling tickets “at cost”, and pushes you to move quickly and transfer money because demand is high. They may ask for extra fees to change the name on the ticket. After you pay, there is no ticket and no more contact, because the tickets do not exist.

Scamwatch has also warned that official tickets often carry resale or transfer limits, so tickets bought from scalpers can mean refused entry, the wrong seats, or tickets that never arrive. Fake ticketing sites and fake prize or competition offers can take your money, deliver counterfeit tickets, or collect personal details for identity fraud. The FTC has warned about lookalike logos and trademarks on fake sites, and about companies that sell packages of hotel, transport, and tickets without actually holding the tickets.

Ticketmaster’s help centre describes the platform side. It says it will never ask for payment in third-party gift cards, money orders, or wire transfers, will never ask you to buy a store gift card so it can issue a refund, and does not charge a fee for changing a name on tickets or transferring them. Anyone claiming to be “support” and asking for those things is not following the company’s own stated process.

Eight warning signs

  1. The seller is not the organiser, the venue, or an authorised seller. Scamwatch advises buying only from an authorised seller and checking with the event organiser or promoter, or the official event website, to find one. Ticketmaster says it cannot verify tickets bought from a third party.
  2. A friend’s account is suddenly selling tickets at cost. Scamwatch describes scammers hijacking a friend’s account and using a story about why they cannot attend. Contact your friend through a different channel (a phone call, not a reply in the same chat) before paying.
  3. A fee to change the name on the ticket. Scamwatch says scammers may ask for extra fees to change the name on the ticket. Ticketmaster says it does not charge a fee for changing a name or transferring tickets.
  4. Payment by gift card, wire transfer, or money order. Ticketmaster says it never asks for payment in third-party gift cards, money orders, or wire transfers. See gift card scams and bank transfer scams.
  5. Pressure to pay now because demand is high. Scamwatch lists pressure to buy quickly and transfer money as a warning sign. A real seller can give you time to check the listing.
  6. Lookalike sites, logos, or official-sounding names. The FTC warned that scammers may copy an event’s official logo and trademarks, or use near-identical versions. Search for the seller alongside words like “scam” or “reviews” to see what other buyers say.
  7. A “competition” or “prize” that includes tickets, but asks for a payment or personal details. Scamwatch warns that fake prize or lottery offers ask for extra payments or personal information to “secure tickets”. See lottery and prize scams.
  8. A package that bundles tickets, hotel, and travel with a “guarantee”. The FTC warned that some companies sell packages without holding the tickets and may not be able to deliver them later. Ask the organiser whether the company is an official package provider. See travel and holiday booking scams.

Three ways it plays out

These are composite scenarios built from the patterns the sources describe. They are not individual cases.

The hijacked friend

  1. You get a direct message from a friend: they cannot go to a sold-out show and will sell two tickets at face value.
  2. They say tickets are in high demand and ask you to send the money now to hold them.
  3. After you pay, they say the ticket name must be changed and a fee is due.
  4. Then the messages stop. Your friend, when you phone them, knows nothing about it.

Scamwatch describes exactly this chain: a taken-over account, a story about why the person cannot attend, pressure to pay quickly, extra fees for a name change, and no ticket and no contact afterwards. Phone your friend first, and tell them their account may be compromised so they can secure it.

The “support agent” and the gift card refund

  1. Your listing on a resale page shows a problem, and someone messages you claiming to be support.
  2. They say the quickest way to get a refund is to buy a gift card at a shop and read out the numbers.

Ticketmaster says it will never ask you to buy a store gift card to issue a refund, and that refunds go back to your original payment method. Only use the contact route printed on the official site, and read the guide to fake support scams.

The “guaranteed” package

  1. A website offers a weekend package with a hotel, transport, and tickets to a sold-out event.
  2. The ticket is described as guaranteed, but the page does not say who actually holds it.
  3. You pay the full amount in advance. The tickets are never delivered.

The FTC’s warning describes companies that sell packages without holding the tickets. Before paying, ask the event organiser whether the company is an authorised seller, and print or save a copy of your order.

How to check a ticket seller in five minutes

  1. Start from the organiser’s own website, which you type in yourself, or the venue box office. Scamwatch says the event organiser or promoter, or the official event website, will show who is authorised to sell.
  2. If tickets are sold out, look for the organiser’s own resale or transfer option. Ticketmaster describes buying through its own platform or the venue box office as the way to be sure tickets are authentic.
  3. Search the seller’s name, website, and phone number with words like “scam” or “reviews”, as the FTC suggests. Read the terms and conditions: Scamwatch notes some unauthorised sellers state that resold tickets may be refused entry.
  4. In Australia, Scamwatch suggests checking the seller’s ABN on business.gov.au to confirm it belongs to the trader named on the website.
  5. Pay with a secure option. Scamwatch suggests PayPal or Apple or Google Pay instead of giving your card details to the seller. Never pay by gift card, wire, or money order.
  6. Keep records. The FTC suggests printing a copy of your order. Save screenshots of the listing, the seller’s profile, and every message.

If you already paid or gave details

Act as soon as you suspect the tickets are not real. These steps follow Scamwatch’s and the FTC’s advice.

  1. Contact your bank or card provider immediately. Scamwatch advises contacting your financial institution straight away if you lost money or gave card details. Ask what dispute options apply to how you paid.
  2. If you paid by gift card, wire transfer, or money order, contact the issuer or provider at once and say it was a scam. The FTC lists MoneyGram on 1-800-666-3947 and Western Union on 1-800-325-6000 for wire reversals, and the card issuer for gift cards. See the FTC’s what to do if you were scammed page.
  3. Report it to the platform where the sale took place (the social media app or marketplace) so the account can be removed. Scamwatch asks people to do this.
  4. Tell the friend whose account was used so they can regain control, change their password, and warn their contacts.
  5. Watch out for a second approach. People who offer to recover your money for a fee are often running another scam. See recovery scams.
  6. Check your accounts. If you typed card, email, or account details into a fake site, ask your bank about replacing the card, and change the password for any account that shared the same one.

How to report it, step by step

  1. Collect the evidence first. Screenshot the listing or message thread, copy the seller’s profile link, username, phone number, and website address, and save your payment receipt, order number, and any “ticket” files.
  2. Report to the platform that hosted the sale, using its report-a-scam or report-profile option.
  3. Tell your bank and get a reference number for the dispute or fraud claim.
  4. File an official report with the agency for your country in the list below. Include the amount, date, payment method, and seller details.
  5. Tell friends and family who might have received the same offer. Scamwatch asks people to do this to help protect others.
  6. Keep your reference numbers. You may need them if your bank or police ask for them later.

Where to report

More help from official sources

Some of the official warnings cited here are older alerts about specific events. Their advice still applies, but check the organiser’s current rules for the event you want. Scambaba is an independent educational project. Reporting and recovery options depend on where you live. How these guides are researched is on the editorial policy.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to buy resale tickets?

Ticketmaster says the only way to know tickets are authentic is to buy directly from Ticketmaster or the venue box office, and that it cannot verify tickets bought from a third party. Scamwatch notes official tickets often have resale or transfer limits, so tickets from scalpers may be refused at the door. Use the organiser’s own resale or transfer option where one exists.

A friend is selling spare tickets on social media. Is that safe?

Check first. Scamwatch says scammers take over friends’ accounts and use stories like “I can’t go, selling at cost”. Phone your friend or ask them something only they would know before sending money.

Does a real seller charge a fee to change the name on a ticket?

Ticketmaster says it does not charge a fee for changing a name on tickets or transferring them. Scamwatch lists extra name-change fees as part of the fake ticket scam. Treat that request as a warning sign.

What payment method is safest for tickets?

Never use gift cards, wire transfers, or money orders. Scamwatch suggests secure options such as PayPal or Apple or Google Pay instead of handing card details to the seller. Ask your bank which dispute rights apply to your card or payment method.

I paid and the tickets never came. Can I get my money back?

It depends on how you paid and how quickly you act. Contact your bank or card provider immediately, report the sale to the platform, and report to the national agency in your country. If you paid by wire or gift card, contact the provider at once, though recovery is hard. Avoid anyone who offers to recover your money for a fee.

How can I tell whether a ticket website is real?

Do not trust how it looks. The FTC warns scammers copy official logos and trademarks. Go to the organiser’s own site and follow its links to authorised sellers, search the seller’s name with “scam” or “reviews”, and read the terms. In Australia, you can check the seller’s ABN on business.gov.au.

Someone claiming to be Ticketmaster support asked me to buy a gift card for a refund. Is that real?

No. Ticketmaster says it will never ask you to buy a store gift card so it can issue a refund. Stop, do not share any numbers, and contact support through the official site.