More than a quarter of Millenial festival goers have fallen victim to ticket scams according research by Barclays.
Scammers are taking advantage of music fans searching for tickets to sold-out events by setting up fake ticketing websites and social media personas, according to new research from the bank.
Music fans who buy tickets from these websites and personas could stand to lose as much as £179 – which is more than the average European festival ticket.
The warning comes ahead of the festival season when hundreds of thousands of tickets will be snapped up, amid booming demand.
However, thousands will be left disappointed and on the hunt for tickets to sold out events, leaving music lovers vulnerable to scammers.
Festival goers are also more likely to being targeted by criminals multiple times, with more than a third falling for at least three different ticketing scams in the last two years.
The desperation to secure dream tickets may be clouding music fans’ judgement. Although 40 per cent said buying a ticket from a tout on a social media group carries one of the greatest risks of being scammed, it does not necessarily put them off.
Surprisingly, 40 per cent of 25-34-year-olds admitted they would be prepared to use social media groups to purchase a ticket, despite knowing the dangers.
With criminals using a range of methods to tempt music fans, from offering tickets on social media, as well as directing targets to bogus ticketing sites, falling victim to a ticket scam has never been easier.
Barclays’ Head of Digital Safety, Ross Martin, has urged Millenials to be wary of techniques used by these criminals.
Ross Martin said: “As we enter the festival season, it is easy to forget our online safety as people look to secure their must-have tickets.
“Yet, we should all be aware of the risks when purchasing tickets and make sure we are carrying out proper safety checks, to ensure our festival experience is not ruined by fraudsters.”
Scots are also being urged to think carefully after it was found 15% of Scots would sacrifice a day’s pay in order to purchase at ticket.
More information can be found on Barclays website on how to avoid being scammed.
www.barclays.co.uk/security
