A public warning has been issued amidst growing concerns of a ticket scam targeting eager Taylor Swift fans hoping to attend the Australian leg of The Eras Tour. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) is alerting those desperately trying to secure last-minute tickets to be on high alert for this fraudulent scheme.
The ACCC has been inundated with 273 reports from individuals who have fallen victim to this scam since June last year. These unsuspecting fans have collectively lost over $135,000, and this figure is expected to surge in the coming weeks.
ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe confirmed that Scamwatch is in active collaboration with law enforcement and social media platforms to combat this scam. “The Eras Tour is this summer’s hottest event and certain unscrupulous individuals are capitalizing on this by preying on Australian ‘Swifties’ hoping to purchase resale tickets,” she stated.
The scam operation involves hackers compromising genuine social media accounts of victims’ friends. The perpetrators then convince the prospective buyers with fabricated reasons for selling the concert tickets “at cost”. The unfortunate buyers are left empty-handed once the payment is made and all communication ends abruptly.
In Victoria, it is illegal to sell tickets to major events more than 10 per cent above their face value. Ms. Lowe encourages fans to exercise caution when buying tickets, especially from social media platforms, even from recognized friends or community pages. “Be aware that scammers are exploiting the trust of friends and connections to sell non-existent Taylor Swift tickets,” she warned.
The safest way to secure legitimate tickets for The Eras Tour is through the authorized reseller, Ticketek Marketplace.
Swift has three scheduled performances in Melbourne on February 16, 17 and 18 and four in Sydney on February 23, 24, 25 and 26.
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