British Taylor Swift fans may have lost more than £1 million to scammers pretending to be selling tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, a major bank estimates.
Lloyds Bank is warning fans based on analysis of purchase scams reported by its customers and Halifax and Bank of Scotland banks, among them fast and/or Eras Tour is mentioned as part of the claim.
Since tickets went on sale in July 2023, more than 600 Lloyds Banking Group customers have reported being scammed.
Lloyds Bank said the average loss per victim was £332, but in some cases the losses exceeded £1,000.
The figures are based solely on its own customer data, with Lloyds Bank, based on its current account market share and assuming similar trends in other parts of the UK, estimating there could be at least 3,000 victims across the UK, with fraudsters costing the bank more than £1m.
Lloyds Bank has warned that fans aged 25 to 34 who are trying to buy sold-out tickets are most likely to be targeted, with many scams originating from social media.
Beyoncé fans in the UK have also fallen victim to scams.Photo: AP/Chris Pizzero
fans coldplay, beyoncé and Harry Styles It added that it was also targeted for fraud last summer.
Purchasing scams involve tricking someone into sending money via bank transfer to purchase goods or services that are fake, shoddy or non-existent.
Ticket scams often involve false ads, posts or listings on social media offering sold-out tickets or tickets to attend sold-out events because fraudsters know they can attract people willing to pay more by falsely claiming there are tickets for sale ardent fans.
Swift’s record-breaking Eras tour is reportedly set to gross over $1bn (£813m), with tickets for the shows selling out as soon as they go on sale.
By the end of December, the star will have performed more than 150 shows on five continents.
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“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”
Lisa Webb, consumer law expert at Which?, said people buying tickets for shows should use a credit card for purchases over £100 or use PayPal as both methods offer protection.
“We’ve heard from disappointed Swifties who purchased tickets on social media only to realize it was a scam when the tickets they were promised never materialized,” she said. “Unfortunately, If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
“Do not attempt to purchase tickets from anyone other than an authorized seller as your rights may be significantly reduced if something goes wrong.”
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She added that anyone who thinks they have been the victim of ticket fraud should contact their bank and report it to Anti-Fraud Operations or Police Scotland.
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank, said: “It’s easy to get overwhelmed emotionally when we find out our favorite artists are going to perform live, but it’s important not to let those emotions go when we try affect our judgment” to get tickets. “
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