Scam Ticket Websites

The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Trading Standards advise consumers to be careful before buying tickets online.  There are many legitimate websites and scammers make it difficult for consumers to spot a fake. It is easy to set up a slick looking website that looks genuine, or has a name similar to a genuine website. Remember, professional fraudsters are at work.

According to an online survey of 3,000 UK consumers:

• one in five people knows someone who has bought tickets to a music, sport or theatre event from a scam ticket website
• one in twelve ticket buyers admits to having been caught out by scam ticket websites, with 80 per cent of those having fallen victim in the last year
• victims lost an average of £80 each.

Men are twice as likely to be tricked by such scams as women. And when it comes to reporting the scam, it appears people too often shy away from the problem with one in five (20 per cent) admitting they didn't report it.

Advice To Consumers

Is the site making claims that sound too good to be true? Are they selling tickets to events that haven't gone on sale yet? Are they guaranteeing you tickets to events that have been sold out for months?

What do you know about the website?

• Check where the website registered and who it is registered to. How long has the website been registered? You can search for domain name registrant information using an online search tool, such as http://www.whois-uk.com/ and http://www.nominet.org.uk/(for.uk domain names)
• Always check for feedback, both positive and negative. Enter the website name into a search engine
• What do you know about the company you’re buying from?
• Where is their office? Companies must supply the full geographic address where their business is established, not just a P.O. Box or mailbox number. - How can you contact them? Do they have a landline number in the UK? Does this number work? Is it automated and/or require you to leave messages on an answer phone? Be wary if they only supply you with an email address or mobile phone number.
• Search the internet and find out what are others saying about the website. Safeconcerts.com carries a regularly updated list of sites its experts believe people should be wary of using

How can I protect myself?

Be aware of how and when tickets for the event are being distributed by checking with the event organiser, promoter or venue where the event will be held.

• What type of seat/ticket are you buying? Ask for details
• What is the face value of the ticket? How much is the ticket being sold for and are there any additional charges? When will the ticket be dispatched and how will you be notified?
• What happens if things go wrong? What is the company’s policy on refunds?
• Buying football tickets? Remember under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, it is illegal to re-sell football tickets unless expressly authorised.
• Pay for tickets by credit card. Under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, as amended, the card issuer is jointly liable for the failure to provide goods or services provided that the cash price of a single ticket is over £100.

• When booking online check that the payment pages are secure by looking for a padlock symbol or making sure the website address begins with an https prefix.

• Always print out a copy of your order and a copy of the acknowledgement you should receive from the company.

What if things go wrong?