Scammers have come up with a dastardly new scheme to prey on hopeful Swifties desperate to get their hands on tickets to Taylor Swift‘s Australian Eras Tour. Haven’t the Swifties gone through enough pain and trauma?!
The scam targets established fans of the 1989 singer by hacking their social media pages and messaging their mates to try and sell fake Taylor Swift tickets. Usually, the page includes a story on why the person can’t attend the gig like they’d planned. Then, they offer the ticket at a cost to the buyer.
So far, the consumer watchdog has already clocked up 273 reports of people falling for the clever scam.
“This scam is a low act, seeking to take advantage of fans, many of whom are young and are desperately trying to secure a ticket to make their dream of seeing Taylor Swift live come true,” ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said, per The Guardian.
“We are working with law enforcement and social media platforms to combat these scams but are concerned that scam activity is only going to increase in the lead-up to Taylor Swift’s arrival in Australia in mid-February.”
To avoid the scam, the ACCC recommends that Swifties only buy tickets from authorised sellers or, if you are purchasing from a pal, make sure to verify that it is them and contact them through a different method just in case.
Here’s the thing, if you think just because you’re young, smart and hot, you won’t get scammed — think again. Currently, the ACCC reports that Aussies have lost almost $460 million in scams. That’s too much cashola for it to only be the oldies.
So, if you are still hoping to cop tickets to the Eras Tour, make sure you head to the official reseller Ticketek’s Fan To Fan Marketplace. While the ticket landscape is dry, if you happen to spot a ticket up on the site, you’re guaranteed to pay within 10% of the original price.
For more info — including some not recommended but existing ticket vendors — you can check out our comprehensive resale guide.
And to those who missed out on tickets, I truly am manifesting that you find one through the official channels. If all else fails, well, at least we have the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film to fill the big, gaping Taylor Swift-shaped hole.
