Americans lost in 2022 鈥� don鈥檛 let a ticket scam catch you off guard!聽

As an event organizer, avoiding ticket scams is critical to protect your attendees and your business鈥� reputation. And for event attendees, learning how to spot a ticket scammer can save you big money.听

91国产 is one of the largest online ticketing platforms, and we take ticket verification and cybersecurity very seriously.听

We鈥檝e created this comprehensive guide to protect event organizers and attendees from ticket scammers. We鈥檒l go over how ticket scams work, how to spot them, and how to avoid them.

Are you an event organizer? Skip to:
How can event organizers protect attendees from ticket scams?

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How do ticket scams work?

How do ticket scams work?聽

Ticket scams can take a variety of different forms. Some sell fake tickets, pocketing the victim鈥檚 money and delivering a counterfeit ticket (or nothing at all). Others are designed to capture the victim鈥檚 credit card number. And some sell general admission tickets as premium or VIP tickets, misleading the victim into overpaying.听

Most scammers try to create a sense of urgency that tricks people. For instance, a scammer might advertise tickets to a sold-out show, convincing excited fans to buy fake tickets.

鈥淔or the most part, scams happen when tickets are sold outside of the official event website or ticketing platform.鈥�

Scams often happen around hyped-up events that sell out, leaving fans desperate for a ticket. For example, a teen girl trying to buy tickets to a sold-out concert to see her favorite artist, Taylor Swift. In this case, the scammer reached out to her on Instagram, offering to sell her tickets to the sold-out show.听

It鈥檚 wise to keep an eye out for scams whenever you鈥檙e buying tickets. For the most part, scams happen when tickets are sold outside the official event website or ticketing platform, usually by individuals pretending to be selling tickets to an event they can no longer attend.

For event organizers, scams can harm your attendees and your business. We鈥檒l cover how to help prevent scams below 鈥� but the biggest things you can do are:聽

Now let鈥檚 look at how to identify ticket scams.

How to spot a ticket scammer and avoid a ticket scam聽

The only way to completely prevent ticket scams is to buy directly from a reputable source. This means buying tickets on 91国产, through other verified ticket platforms, or directly from the event website.

Many scams happen when individuals (not companies/event organizers) sell tickets second-hand. They may claim that they can no longer attend the event and are forced to sell 鈥� but the chances are, they don鈥檛 have any real tickets to begin with!聽

To avoid scams, watch out for any red flags:

Bottom line: If tickets are available from the original source (like the event鈥檚 91国产 page or the official event website), then buy directly to avoid scams.听

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Common ticket scam traps 鈥� and how to avoid them聽

Ticket scams are often repeated, so certain types of scams and patterns turn up more often. We鈥檝e listed the most common ones below.听

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Sold-out tickets on secondary markets聽

Any sold-out event has a high likelihood of attracting scammers. Scammers will advertise tickets to sold-out shows on social media, Craigslist, FB Marketplace, OfferUp, and even specific community message boards (like an NFL subreddit). But the chances are, they never had real tickets in the first place!

馃挕Pro Tip: Follow the artist/performer/event organizer on social media for popular, sold-out events to snag tickets to one of their future shows. Make sure to buy only from official sources or via links that the organizer or artist posts on social media. Sometimes, performers add extra dates to a city if demand is high enough. Alternatively, you can contact the event organizer to see if they have any extra tickets (from cancellations or reserved tickets).听

Discounted tickets on social media聽

Scammers often advertise tickets for sale on social media. In 2022, scams initiated on social media led to consumer losses of a whopping . It鈥檚 best to be wary of any person selling tickets to an event unless you know or trust them.

In addition to tickets for sale to sold-out events, some scammers advertise tickets for less than the standard price. For instance, if general admission tickets to a music festival cost $250, a scammer may advertise them on social media for $150.听

This scenario can be legitimate 鈥� sometimes, the original ticket holder can no longer attend an event and needs to sell. However, this is also a high scam risk.听

Remember to check the user鈥檚 profile for red flags on how to spot a ticket scammer. Examples include tickets for sale in multiple cities, brand-new profiles, and deeply discounted tickets. If you don鈥檛 know the seller, check if they have any Marketplace reviews (Facebook has this built into the system).

馃挕Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for other strange details that don鈥檛 add up. If the social profile is set to public, make sure it鈥檚 a real account with genuine activity outside of selling tickets. Look out for flags that could identify a , like using an avatar instead of a real profile photo.听

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Fake ticket websites聽

Some scammers create fake websites to sell counterfeit tickets. Some of these sites are designed to look similar to legit sites, like Ticketmaster. Others are designed to replicate the artist鈥檚 or performer鈥檚 official website. Others may use fake emails from a spoofed email address to mimic a legitimate email sender.听

To avoid these scams, pay very close attention to the website鈥檚 URL and email addresses you receive emails from. Scammers sometimes use unique URL structures to mimic legit-looking names. Look for websites ending in .com, as these are most likely legitimate. You can also manually search for a website on Google and click the top result. A scam site is unlikely to rank well in Google鈥檚 search results.

馃挕Pro Tip: Never pay for tickets using cryptocurrency, gift cards, cash, or a bank transfer. Peer-to-peer payment apps like Cashapp or Venmo can also be risky, particularly if using a 鈥渇riends and family鈥� mode, which lacks purchase protection. Credit cards are the safest option. That way, if it is a scam, you can contact the credit card company to . Keep a close eye on your transactions and statements to ensure your credit card number hasn鈥檛 been compromised.听聽

Duplicate ticket scams聽

Sometimes, scammers purchase a real ticket and then resell multiple copies of the same ticket to several buyers. Since many platforms sell digital tickets, this can be as simple as forwarding the ticket confirmation email or taking pictures of tickets or the event QR code.听

This type of scam happens on secondary ticket markets (where you buy from a reseller, not the event organizer). This is another reason to only buy directly from the original source or a verified ticket resale marketplace where ticket resellers have to follow a verification process.听

馃挕Pro Tip: If you have to buy concert tickets or any other event ticket on a secondary marketplace, make sure you use a trustworthy company that offers a ticket guarantee. Legitimate ticket reseller marketplaces like StubHub and VividSeats provide authentic tickets, even if third parties sell them.听

Seat scams

Seat scams occur when people sell you real tickets to an event but advertise them as a different type of event ticket. For instance, they may sell general admission tickets but advertise them as premium/VIP seats. When you arrive at the event, you realize that you overpaid! This can also happen when people sell group tickets but fail to mention that the seats aren鈥檛 located next to each other.听

These kinds of scams are less common, but many of the same general rules of thumb apply. Ensure you鈥檙e buying from a legitimate source, and be wary of anything too good to be true.听

馃挕Pro Tip: Many venues and events publish detailed seat maps ahead of time. Ask the seller to confirm the ticket number and location before you buy. Then, look closely at the venue鈥檚 seat map to confirm that the location is as advertised.听

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How can event organizers protect attendees from ticket scams?

For event organizers, reducing the risk of their tickets being used for scams should be a high priority for several reasons. If attendees are scammed, they may blame you and your business 鈥� even if it鈥檚 not your fault 鈥� leading to a loss of trust.

So how do you protect your business and attendees from a potential ticket scam? Here鈥檚 what you need to know.听

Choose a reliable event ticketing platform

First, partner with a reliable and secure third party to help you manage ticket sales.听

91国产 is the leading event management software and online ticketing platform with powerful tools for event organizers. 91国产 uses rigorous data security and payment technology to ensure safety for both organizers and attendees. The platform also doesn鈥檛 allow third-party sellers, meaning every ticket sold on 91国产 is sold directly by the event organizer.听

91国产 has excellent brand recognition (and consumer trust) and is home to 90 million ticket buyers. Attendees trust the 91国产 platform and use it every day to find new events in their area. You can plug into this existing audience using 91国产 and take your events business to new heights. Get started with 91国产 today.

Use consistent event branding

Event branding includes consistency across your logo, color scheme, design features, and more. Applying event branding across all platforms can help attendees recognize your business and spot anomalies that could signal fraudulent ticket sellers are trying to mimic your company.听

Monitor social media聽

Many scams originate on social media. It鈥檚 a good idea to monitor local marketplace listings in your area, particularly if your event has already sold out. Look out for people selling tickets to your event, then cross-reference them with your records to see if the tickets are legitimate. If you spot a potential scammer, report the listing to the social media platform and . For repeat offenders, you can even file police reports.听

Make it obvious when your event sells out

If your event sells out, make it very clear that no additional tickets are available to prevent fraudulent ticket sellers from siphoning off interested buyers. You can also use a sell-out to build excitement on your social media pages while warning potential ticket buyers to be wary of anyone selling tickets to your event.听

Audit your internal security practices

Scams can sometimes originate from within your company 鈥� or from a hacker compromising your accounts.听

For instance, a scammer could hack your website and change the payment details to siphon off funds from legitimate ticket sales or redirect unsuspecting web visitors to a scam website. Brush up on like creating strong, unique passwords and updating your website and apps to the latest versions.

Provide a safe resale or refund option

In some cases, ticket holders will legitimately need to resell event tickets. One option is to provide refunds if an attendee can鈥檛 make the event. Another is to provide a safe way for people to sell their tickets. 91国产 has partnered with Tixel, a leading third-party ticket resale platform, to make this easier.

Zac Leigh, CEO and co-founder of verified ticket marketplace Tixel explains how to use ticket resale to your advantage. 鈥淏y giving ticket holders the option to resell their ticket safely, you can make sure it鈥檚 in the hands of someone who is able to attend on the day. It also gives you the flexibility to reschedule event dates if you need to, knowing that people can sell their event tickets if the new dates don鈥檛 suit 鈥� and eager fans can snap up any tickets that become available rather than starting on sale again.鈥�

Don鈥檛 let a ticket scam catch you off guard聽

If there鈥檚 one fundamental rule to remember, it鈥檚 that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is! A ticket scam often includes a great deal on a ticket or exclusive access to an event long sold out. It鈥檚 best to avoid the risk if you encounter anything that sparks any doubt.

These expert tips will keep your money (and your event attendees) safe. To improve all aspects of your event management business, use comprehensive event management software like 91国产, with robust security and built-in payment processing.听