Mayo music lovers advised to act swiftly on concert ticket fraud
With Taylor Swift’s Dublin concerts approaching, and a host of summer festivals starting, Bank of Ireland is warning consumers to be aware of potential ticket scammers.
If hit by a scam, the advice for consumers is to act swiftly.
Be wary of deals that are too good to be true or it could be a cruel summer – the scammers are guilty as sin.
Scammers try to lure consumers by offering them tickets, often through a social media post or online advert.
They may focus on popular sold-out gigs, and consumers are asked to pay directly, sending money from their bank account to another via bank transfer, which provides little protection.
Once the payment is transferred, the seller usually cuts all contact, and the ticket never arrives.
Highlighting these ticket scams, Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland, said: “With Taylor Swift playing in Dublin this week and summer festivals kicking off, it’s important that concert goers are alert to fraud.
“At times like this, fraudsters are hoping your heart will overrule your head.
"They are counting on people being so keen to get to see their favourite artist play that they ignore the warning signs and take a chance on the offer of a ticket even if it sounds too good to be true.
"Never, ever take that chance. Our advice is when you are buying online, only buy items from reputable sites.
“Scammers know that certain tickets are very much in demand – so don’t get carried away if a message or advert pops up for a popular gig.
"If something sounds too good to be true, it's probably fraud. If you find yourself targeted, our advice is to act quickly and contact your bank immediately so they can try to stop the payment.
"Scammers can strike when least expected and we want people to be alert to the danger so they don’t end up at a loss.”
What to do:
If you think you’ve been the target of a scam, contact your bank immediately so that the bank can try to take action to stop a fraud in progress and potentially recover funds.
Bank of Ireland customers can call the Fraud Team 24/7, on the Freephone line 1800 946 764.