Thames Valley Police warns against concert ticket scams
Concert ticket scams are often more prevalent this time of year
Last updated 2nd Jan 2026
Music fans looking for tickets to concerts and festivals this year could be at risk of falling victim to scams, according to police and fraud experts.
Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn, Head of Thames Valley Police’s Central Fraud Unit, warned of the dangers of ticket scams, which is a type of fraud that often takes people’s money for tickets that don’t exist or are invalid.
“It could be you're buying tickets for a Christmas present now for a concert in the summer and it's not until the summer you'll find out that you've actually been scammed and those tickets don’t exist”, DI Wynn said.
He added: “If someone’s offering cheap tickets, there’ll be a reason for that. It’s probably because they haven’t actually got legitimate tickets to sell, and you’ll be out of pocket.”
How ticket scams occur
Fraud experts say scammers typically set up websites or profiles that look authentic. These sites may advertise tickets to sold-out events, or even non-existent ones, tempting buyers who struggle to find tickets elsewhere.
Sometimes buyers do receive tickets, but when they arrive at the concert or festival, they discover the tickets are fake or have been reported as stolen – leaving them locked out of the event and unable to get their money back.
DI Wynn says the force takes this type of fraud very seriously: “We were out arresting somebody in respect to a large scam involving Oasis tickets."
He also warned that falling victim to ticket fraud can mean more than losing money, as scammers can use personal details to carry out further financial crimes.
“It’s really important that if you think you’ve passed details on to criminals, you carry out credit reference checks to make sure financial products aren’t being taken out in your name," DI Wynn said.
How to protect yourself
Concert ticket fraud contributed to £1.6 million in losses in 2024, according to City of London Police, highlighting the scale of the problem.
Both Thames Valley Police and Report Fraud emphasise the importance of buying tickets from trusted sources, such as registered promoters, venue box offices, official agents, or established ticket exchange sites.
To avoid ticket fraud, police and fraud experts recommend:
• Paying with a credit card, as it offers protection under the Consumer Credit Act.
• Checking for negative reviews of the seller’s website before purchasing.
• Ensuring the website address begins with https and includes a padlock icon in the browser bar.
Avoid paying by bank transfer or money transfer services, as these methods make it nearly impossible to recover funds should the transaction turn out to be fraudulent.
Wynn said: “If in doubt, the best thing you can possibly do is pay by credit card and not bank transfer, because then there’s a chance you’ll get your money back.”
Anyone affected by ticket scams can report it to police, or Report Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040.