Your favourite band is playing, and you’re desperate to go, but don’t have a ticket. Unfortunately, scammers are trying to cash in on this summer’s must-see gigs, claiming they can get you into sold-out events. So be on your guard.

The Oasis gigs, that kicked off on Friday, are among the big-ticket events being used by fraudsters to trick unsuspecting music fans. Earlier this year, Lloyds Bank said that more than 1,000 customers had fallen victim to scams that offered access to the eagerly anticipated concerts. Fans lost an average of £436 each, with the biggest loss more than £1,700.

According to the UK government, in 2024 more than £1.6m was lost to gig ticket fraud, and 3,700 reports were made to Action Fraud. Almost half of the Action Fraud cases related to offers made on social media, and there have been many stories from people who have lost money after responding to posts on Facebook.

Some have reported that their Facebook pages have been hijacked and then used by criminals to trick their family and friends into thinking ticket sales were genuine.

Scammers are bold enough to answer questions before running off with your cash. A reader told us he had been convinced that tickets were genuine before transferring £150 to pay for them – as soon as he had, the fraudster disappeared.

What the scam looks like

Posts on platforms, such as Facebook, claim that people have spare tickets to sell, and say that they can show you proof before you pay. Scroll through posts on fan pages, or on X, and there are hundreds of people claiming to be selling. Some will be genuine, but there is no way of telling from just looking at them.

What the messages ask for

You will be asked for a payment – probably by a bank transfer – in exchange for the tickets.

What to do

If a friend or family has posted that they are selling the tickets you want, contact them directly rather than dealing with them through social media.

Find the website of the venue or band – it will provide links to take you to the legitimate sites to use for ticket sales and resales.

Use a credit or debit card to pay online – these give you extra protections if the tickets do not turn up.

If you get an email saying tickets are available, check the address – Ticketmaster emails, for example, should come from noreply@mailings.ticketmaster.co.uk. Rather than clicking on links sent in emails, go directly to the ticket seller’s page.

Make sure any company you buy through is a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (Star). It has a redress scheme if things go wrong.

Ticketmaster also warns to beware of printed tickets, as scammers can distribute the same ticket multiple times.