Oasis devotees have claimed to have lost more than £2 million to fraudulent schemes ahead of the band’s highly-effective reunion tour. Since tickets went on sale last year, these scams have duped thousands of fans. Indeed, music lovers make up more than 51 per cent of all concert ticket scammers so far this year, new data from the banking giant, Lloyds Bank, indicates.
The huge pressure for any available ticket has painted a massive bullseye to fraudsters. Consequently, Lloyds Bank has predicted that as many as 5,000 people in the UK have been targeted by these scams. This points to a disturbing trend hurting the music economy. The average loss per person has now shot up to around £436. This figure is a shocking £200 more than the average loss to other concert ticket frauds.
In fact, reports indicate more than 1,000 instances of fraud involving Oasis tickets have already surfaced. This wave of chicanery is nothing new—it’s been happening since ticket sales opened up this past summer of 2022. The scams tend to follow a two-wave pattern: the initial wave occurs when tickets are released, and a second wave emerges as the concert date approaches.
In Edinburgh, Warrington, and Manchester authorities have found the most victims respectively. These leading places account for 25% of all known incidents. It shows the geographic concentration of the fraudulent activity.
“The Oasis tour is the latest target for ticket scammers, with millions of pounds of fans’ money stolen before the gigs even kick off,” stated Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds.
As with any tour, fraudsters have quickly taken to unofficial groups across social media platforms that allow users to buy and sell tickets for the Oasis tour. These groups often act as hotbeds for scams, resulting in large sums of money lost to fraudulent parties by well-meaning fans.
The biggest individual loss reported is already over £1,700. This figure underscores the crippling effect these scams can have on victims’ livelihoods. People between the ages of 35 and 44 account for almost one in three of all diagnosed cases. It highlights how this demographic is particularly susceptible to con artist schemes.
“Scammers are always looking for new ways to part people from their hard-earned cash and unfortunately, Oasis tickets being in such high demand has created a perfect storm for criminals,” said Lisa Webb, a consumer expert.
Further, the pressure of urgency in the ticket buying process pushes fans to skip the official channels altogether and go straight to unofficial sources. Personal finance expert Guy Anker from Compare the Market cautions consumers about this new trend. Unsurprisingly, he stresses the need to remain watchful amid the popular tours’ intense and extreme demand.
“With big-name tours generating huge demand, it’s important to remain vigilant to potential scams,” Anker remarked. “When tickets are hard to come by, it can be tempting to buy from unofficial sources, but this often leads to disappointment and can cause significant financial loss.”
To combat these scams, officials urge fans to flag fraudulent posts whenever they see them online. Ziegler emphasized the role that social media companies have in addressing these problems.
“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,” she noted.
In situations where fans purchase tickets using their credit cards, they may find some relief under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This rule provides people the ability to bring claims against their lenders when transactions turn sour.
The anticipation for the Oasis reunion tour is through the roof! So there fans, keep your eyes peeled and be aware of these potential scams. Don’t get scammed—be careful when purchasing tickets! Report fraud using the appropriate channels to keep yourself and others safe.