The excitement surrounding BTS’ upcoming World Tour concert in Malaysia has been exploited by a ticket scam syndicate, with fans collectively losing nearly RM96,000 to fraudulent ticket sales promoted on social media. So far, police have recorded 41 cases linked to the scam.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said authorities had identified a syndicate using social media platforms to offer fake concert tickets, particularly for sought-after categories such as VIP, Soundcheck and Priority Access passes for the concert scheduled to take place on 12 and 13 December.
According to Datuk Rusdi, the syndicate’s modus operandi involves advertising tickets before official sales or pre-sales have even begun, while claiming to have insider connections and special quotas that allow them to secure hard-to-obtain tickets.
“They also use fake booking screenshots as proof and instruct victims to make immediate payments via bank transfer, DuitNow or QR code to supposedly confirm their bookings,” he shared.
However, once payment is made, victims either never receive the promised tickets or are unable to contact the seller.
“A total of 41 fraud cases involving the sale of BTS concert tickets have been recorded so far, with total losses amounting to RM95,974.81,” he added.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
Datuk Rusdi warned that the risk of ticket-related scams is currently at an alarming level and is expected to rise further once official tickets sell out due to overwhelming demand.
He further explained that the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) phenomenon has been identified as one of the key reasons fans are easily deceived by illegal ticket offers.
In light of the growing number of cases, the public has been advised to purchase tickets only through official channels announced by organisers or authorised ticketing agents. Fans are also urged not to make payments to individuals offering tickets through social media without proper verification.
Datuk Rusdi also reminded concertgoers to be wary of claims involving special access, internal quotas or ticket allocations before official sales begin.
“In addition, users are advised to verify bank account numbers and phone numbers through the Semak Mule portal before carrying out any transactions,” he said.
Those who believe they may have fallen victim to a scam are urged to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) via 997 so that prompt action can be taken.
“CCID will continue to monitor scam trends involving the sale of entertainment event tickets and take appropriate action against those involved,” he added.
Source: Berita Harian
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