Hundreds of Oasis fans have reported being the victim of ticket scammers in the run-up to the band’s reunion next year, with victims losing an average of £346 each, and some as much as £1,000.
The figures were released by Lloyds Bank, which analysed scam reports from its customers and found that around 70% of reported ticket scams since 27 August relate to the Oasis reunion.
According to Lloyds, more than 90% of the cases originated on social media, especially Facebook, and people aged between 35 and 44 were most likely to be targeted by fraudsters, making up almost a third (31%) of all cases.
Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director, Lloyds, said: “Predictably fraudsters wasted no time in targeting loyal Oasis fans as they scrambled to pick up tickets for next year’s must-see reunion tour.
“The fact that so many cases start with fake listings on social media, often in violation of the platforms’ own rules, underscores the importance of these companies taking stronger action to tackle scams.
“Buying directly from reputable, authorised platforms is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a genuine ticket. If you’re asked to pay via bank transfer, particularly by a seller you’ve found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing.”
Official sales of tickets for the band’s reunion have also met with controversy; the ‘dynamic pricing’ model used by Ticketmaster meant some fans who had queued online ended up being charged substantially more for tickets than they had initially expected. The experience of fans who felt they have been ripped off has prompted a CMA investigation.
