Gagging for Glastonbury? Raring to get to Reading? Got your eye on the iTunes Festival?
(Or any other gig or sporting event, for that matter).
BUT … you’ve missed out on the tickets!
It’s an awesome line-up and all your mates are going, so you’re desperate. What are you going to do?
Naturally, the first place that springs to mind for many people is Gumtree, where you can advertise or find pretty much anything. So if you don’t see the tickets you want listed, post a wanted ad and wait for someone with spare tickets to contact you.
Hopefully they will, and you’ll quickly establish that the seller has the tickets you want at a price you’re happy to pay.
And paying is what this article is all about. The vast majority of sellers are honest, everyday folk who simply want to get a fair price for something they don’t need any more. No problem. A few, however, are less honest and make their living out of defrauding people like you and me. Typically, they’ll send you the tickets in exchange for your payment being transferred into their bank account. You can read some real-life stories about it by clicking here.
BUT … there are no tickets, and your money has disappeared forever because of how you paid. And to rub salt into the wound, your mates will get to watch the Kings of Leon while you watch Eastenders.
Gutted, but you wouldn’t be alone. Last year, Action Fraud received over 3,700 reports of ticket fraud offences, amounting to around £2.7 million. 46% of these originated online, and 75% of the victims reckoned that websites were the most common way that contact was made between them and the scammer. The figures were supplied to Get Safe Online by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).
So here’s Gumtree’s advice for when you want to buy tickets you’ve found via the site. They're also joining our Twitter chat this Wednesday evening, by the way.
– Meet face-to-face to see the tickets, and check they’re authentic before handing over any money. Although Gumtree doesn’t recommend paying for an item you haven't seen, if you are planning to do so, use a secure payment method … NOT money transfers.
– Not specifically to do with fraud, but when buying tickets for events, be aware that some may have terms printed on them that limit the ability of the original buyer to sell them to you. Some event tickets like Glastonbury may also feature a photo of the original buyer, which can mean that anyone other than the original buyer may be refused entry to the event. Gumtree’s advice is to always independently check the re-sale terms of the event before buying.
There’s also a ton of advice on our advice page here at Get Safe Online, about buying tickets from other sources too. So read it, stay safe, and enjoy the show!
