Concert seasons are always exciting for fans. With all that happy buzz comes the bane of concert ticket scammers. As we have seen on Twitter, issues pertaining to ticket scams have been flooding everywhere and it occurs almost every tour like the Swiftie who got scammed during Eras tour and that Afgan fan who paid RM600 only to find out it was a scam!
Concert ticket scams can result in a devastating outcome, taking a toll on the fan’s sanity especially when there’s travelling involved. Therefore, a Kpop fan page on Twitter has decided to bring this issue to light considering IU (아이유) is having a concert in Kuala Lumpur soon and this is the perfect time to share such tips in the hope the methods provided will prevent falling victim to these scams.
They began by explaining how to spot scam patterns. The bait typically starts with a bunch of listings being posted on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Carousel. Once a customer agrees to buy the ticket, the seller will then redirect the conversation to a different messaging app. Finally, the scammers would instruct the victims to make virtual payments.
Thus, the IU fan page admin stressed how crucial it is to go through the seller’s socials by ensuring that they have real followers and reviews left by previous customers. On top of that, she reminded them that any transactions done should always match their name or any related personal information listed publicly on their page. The admin then elaborated further on how to identify these patterns and concluded with five main points, which are:
- Avoid trusting new accounts or accounts made specifically for selling concert tickets.
- Avoid accounts that barely have any activities indicating their business.
- Sellers would typically create a fake sense of urgency or pretend other buyers are interested as well.
- Sellers may ask for your personal information and details, including your identity card/ passport picture.
- The ticket is being sold at a lower value despite the ticket may cost more than that.
So, how do we actually avoid becoming victims of these scams? Here are some precautionary steps that all concertgoers must keep in mind:
- Patience is key. Any tickets bought will be emailed during a specific time period. Once you receive them, please thoroughly check the details stated in the ticket such as row, section and seat no as this can be easily edited.
- Research! Scour through the internet and search for their user handle and try to find any reviews or their other listings on different apps.
- Consistency! Please be sure that the information/details provided match their bank account’s name.
- Meet-up. It is encouraged to meet with the seller physically to verify the e-ticket before you proceed with the full payment.
- Negotiation. Consider negotiating with the seller by asking if it’s possible for you to give them a deposit and the remaining balance will be paid on the day of the event.
- Stalk and See. Go through the socials and look at their followers, following likes and reposts. This is to ensure that the seller didn’t buy followers as this is one of their tactics.
At the end of the day, there’s always a risk when you’re purchasing from a non-official source. Unfortunately, many fans are often left with little options due to sold out concert tickets.
Ariani Soraya contributed to this article.
