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Summer is here and festival season is upon us - so that means a packed calendar of events ranging from festivals to music gigs. <\/p>\n
However, while it is peak time for entertainment, the busy events season can also be a favourite time of year for online ticket scams. <\/p>\n
A woman from Exeter and her sister were a victim to this kind of scam after they travelled to Cardiff to see Coldplay perform - only to get there and to be told their tickets had already been used. <\/p>\n
Liz Silk, 64, travelled to Cardiff from Exeter, Devon, with her sister Gillian Benjamin, 66, to see the band on their first night of their visit to Cardiff. <\/p>\n
The pair were only told when they tried to enter Principality Stadium staff that the tickets had already been used and they were left devastated. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Read more: Exeter woman and her sister travel miles and pay 300 for Coldplay tickets which turn out to be fake <\/p>\n
With that in mind, here is the advice that the FraudHelpDesk website has published online as to how to avoid concert ticket fraud. <\/p>\n
1. Check the seller's Facebook profile Many fraudsters quickly create a fake profile on Facebook, offering tickets to a concert or event, preferably one that is sold out. Their scams involve consumers paying for tickets and not receiving them, and paying for tickets but receiving fake ones. <\/p>\n
If the Facebook account has been created recently, the chances are that you're dealing with a con artist. More sophisticated fraudsters manipulate their posts and change the date on them to make them look older. You can check this by clicking on the clock icon at the top right of a posted message or image. It will pop up the original posting date. <\/p>\n
2. Check the number of Facebook friends and 'likes' To camouflage fake profiles, fraudsters will send friend requests to a large group of people. After all, there will always be a few among them who will accept any request that comes in. <\/p>\n
Having 'friends' makes a fake Facebook profile look considerably more authentic. However, there is no exchange of messages on these fake profiles and the number 'likes' is limited. This gives them away, so always check this before you buy any tickets. <\/p>\n
3. TicketSwap This website is designed to (re)sell concert tickets and is a lot safer than Facebook. Scams cannot be ruled out on TicketSwap, but the chances are definitely smaller. The website checks the reseller's Facebook profile, bank details and phone number. The seller will have to take the trouble to upload the ticket on the site, which they will if they are bonafide. <\/p>\n
4. Check whether the seller is active elsewhere Scammers have a preference for sold out concerts or events. Check whether the seller offering the tickets you want to buy is also selling tickets for other concerts. If this is the case, then the chances are that you are dealing with a scammer. <\/p>\n
Close-up image of software engineer typing on laptop <\/p>\n
5. Always pay with online banking Many resellers prefer to sell their tickets to people who have an account with the same bank. The money transfer will proceed more quickly. Scammers have found a solution for accounts with a different bank. They will ask you to pay via a hyperlink which allegedly will speed up the transaction. In reality, you will buy bitcoins for the seller, who can then collect their money anonymously. <\/p>\n
6. Check the seller's bank account details There are several websites offering up-to-date lists of bank account numbers used by scammers. <\/p>\n
7. Use your common sense Many people fall for a scam simply because they are too eager to go to a concert. Use your common sense. Never transfer money to people who do not even live in the Netherlands, for example. How likely is it that this particular person abroad, of all people, still has tickets for an immensely popular festival? <\/p>\n
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Here's seven top tips on how to avoid online ticket sale scams - Devon Live<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Comments(0) Summer is here and festival season is upon us - so that means a packed calendar of events ranging from festivals to music gigs. However, while it is peak time for entertainment, the busy events season can also be a favourite time of year for online ticket scams. A woman from Exeter and her sister were a victim to this kind of scam after they travelled to Cardiff to see Coldplay perform - only to get there and to be told their tickets had already been used. Continue reading