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Don’t be fooled by ticket scams

It can be tempting to use an unfamiliar website to make sure you get tickets to a sold-out event. But you need to make sure it's not a scam. Our tips are here to make sure you keep hold of your money.

Published on: 17 July 2024

How do ticket scams work?

A website offers tickets to popular events. The tickets may have already sold-out, or aren’t officially on sale yet.

You pay for some, but they never arrive. Or they do arrive, but when you go to the event, you are told that they are fake. Some websites may tell you that your tickets can be collected at the venue. However, when you arrive the box office has no tickets under your name. Or the person due to meet you to hand over the tickets never turns up.

When you try to contact the company, you’re unable to get into touch with them. Calls go unanswered or do not go through.

Protecting yourself from ticket scams

It’s easy for scammers to create a website that looks legitimate. For that reason, it is always safest to book through official sellers. Make sure they are members of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) to keep your money safe.

Still tempted? Doing these checks can ensure that you do not lose any money.

  • Do some research before you buy

    Get in touch with the event organiser, promoter or venue to see how and when tickets are being distributed. This will help you understand whether the website claiming to be selling them is legitimate or not.

    You should also check out the company you’re buying from. Is it based in the UK? Does it have a proper address or a PO box? What are the online reviews like?

  • Ask questions

    A legitimate company should have no problem answering questions within a decent timeframe. So, ask when the tickets will be dispatched, and what kind of ticket you are buying.

  • Understand the rules

    Read the terms of conditions of the website. Some will make it clear that there are no refunds – making it difficult if you later have an issue.

    If you’re trying to buy football tickets, know that, in most instances, it’s illegal to re-sell them under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. So, they should not be appearing on re-sell sites.

  • Pay for tickets by credit card

    Unlike debit cards, credit card issuers are jointly liable for a failure to provide goods or services. However, this only applies if the price of a single ticket is more than £100 and less than £30,000.

    And you should check with your card provider how long the period of liability is. If the event is not for a while, you may run out of time to get your money back if you’ve been scammed.

  • Make sure the website is secure

    If you do decide to go ahead with the purchase, look for the padlock symbol in the address bar. The website address should also begin with ‘https’.

  • Don’t forget about our Scam Checker Service

    If you’re ever unsure about a payment you’re making from your Nationwide current account, you can talk to us first. Call us, or visit us in branch, and we’ll tell you if we think it’s a scam or not. This is our Scam Checker Service. Some payments are excluded.

Victim Support

Our partnership with this independent charity supports customers who’ve been a victim of fraud or a scam. They offer a tailored service to meet your individual needs. It’s free, non-judgemental and confidential. And they will help you for as long as you need.

The Nationwide Fraud team will refer you for further support if you need it.

Learn more about Victim Support

Stop. Challenge. Protect

We're proud to be supporting the industry fraud awareness campaign Take Five, which encourages you to perfect the art of saying NO to criminals by taking five minutes to Stop, Challenge, Protect.

Criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations and the police so it can be difficult to spot scam texts, emails and phone calls. However, there are things we can all do to protect ourselves.

Always remember to challenge if someone contacts you asking for your personal or financial information – be direct and say NO. Saying NO can feel uncomfortable but it’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

Take Five websiteReport fraud

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