Fake Festival Ticket Scam UK: How to Spot and Avoid Fraudulent Sellers
Festival season is prime time for ticket scammers—here's how to avoid losing money to fake sellers.
What is this scam?
Fake festival ticket scams involve criminals selling non-existent or counterfeit tickets to major UK festivals and events. Scammers typically create fake websites that mimic official ticketing platforms like Ticketmaster, See Tickets, or Songkick, or they advertise on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. They offer tickets at seemingly attractive prices and collect payment via bank transfer, card payment, or payment apps like PayPal. Once payment is made, the scammer either never sends tickets, sends duplicate tickets that don't work, or sends screenshots of fake tickets.
Some victims don't discover the scam until they arrive at the festival and their e-tickets or physical tickets are rejected. The scam causes both financial loss and significant disappointment, especially when the event happens shortly after purchase.
Warning signs to look for
- The website URL looks slightly wrong—check carefully for misspellings like 'ticketmster.co.uk' instead of 'ticketmaster.co.uk', or unusual domain extensions like '.co.com'.
- Tickets are priced significantly below face value with no clear explanation, such as claiming to be a 'clearance sale' or 'exclusive offer'.
- The seller demands payment by bank transfer only, cryptocurrency, or gift cards—legitimate sellers offer multiple payment options and buyer protection.
- Their social media accounts were created recently, have very few followers, or show inconsistent posting about the festival.
- Email addresses don't match the official ticketing platform—a fake site might use 'support@ticketsale.co.uk' instead of the official support address.
- They pressure you to buy quickly, claiming 'only 2 tickets left' or 'offer expires in 1 hour' to prevent you checking their legitimacy.
- The website has poor grammar, spelling errors, or low-quality graphics compared to the official site.
- They ask you to contact them via personal messaging apps like WhatsApp rather than through an official support system.
How this scam works step by step
The scam typically begins when a potential buyer searches for festival tickets online or sees an advert on social media. The fake seller's website or social media page appears legitimate at first glance, featuring official festival logos, recent line-up information, and pricing that seems like a good deal. The buyer adds tickets to their basket and proceeds to checkout, where they're asked to pay via bank transfer, credit card or another method. At this stage, many scammers collect payment and immediately disappear—the victim receives nothing.
Other scammers are more sophisticated: they send fake confirmation emails with PDFs that look like e-tickets, or they send screenshots of valid tickets belonging to someone else. Some even send physical printouts that won't scan properly at the gate. The victim doesn't realise they've been scammed until they try to use the ticket at the festival and it's rejected, either because it's a duplicate, it belongs to someone else, or it was never legitimate. By then, the festival is often hours or days away, leaving no time to obtain genuine tickets or request a refund.
How to verify if it is genuine
Before purchasing any festival ticket, visit the official festival website directly by typing the URL into your browser—don't click links from emails, social media ads, or search results. Check the 'Official Ticketing Partners' section, usually listed on the main festival page or at the bottom of the website. Call the festival's official phone number (found on their main website) and ask which platforms are authorised to sell tickets. Compare the seller's website with the official ticketing platform by looking at design, colours, logos, and exact URL spelling.
Use the guidance in our guide on Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy to assess the legitimacy of any third-party ticket site. Check the seller's social media for verification badges (blue ticks) and look at the comment history—legitimate sellers respond professionally to customer queries. Request the seller's full business details including company registration number, and verify this on Companies House. Ask the seller directly to confirm their official status by checking their contact details against the festival's official website.
What to do if you have already interacted
If you've sent money but haven't received tickets, contact your bank immediately—if you paid by debit or credit card, request a chargeback, and your bank may recover your money within 30 days. If you paid by bank transfer, act fast: call your bank right away and report the fraud, providing the scammer's account number and any transaction reference. Your bank can sometimes recall the payment if it hasn't been withdrawn. If you paid via PayPal, report the transaction as unauthorised and request a refund through PayPal's Resolution Centre.
Screenshot all communications with the seller, including any fake confirmation emails or fake tickets they sent—these are evidence. Do not attempt to buy replacement tickets from another seller yet, as another scam site may approach you. Check your bank account and credit cards for any other fraudulent transactions. Change the password of any email address the scammer has access to. If the seller has your personal information (name, address, phone number), monitor your credit report using Clearscore or Equifax to watch for identity fraud.
Reporting this scam in the UK
Report the scam to Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud reporting centre, by calling 0300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm) or reporting online at actionfraud.police.uk. Provide details including the scammer's website URL, social media profile, email address, bank account details (if known), and the amount paid. Report the fake website or social media account directly: for phishing websites, report to the NCSC Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.gov.uk with screenshots of the site. Report fake social media accounts to the platform directly—use Facebook's or Instagram's built-in 'Report' buttons.
If you received fraudulent emails, forward them to 7726 (Phishing). Contact Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 for guidance on chargeback rights and support. Report the scam on consumer websites like Trustpilot or Feefo under the scammer's domain name, warning other buyers. Share details with the genuine ticketing platform (Ticketmaster, See Tickets, etc.) so they can alert their own customers to the impersonation.
Frequently asked questions
Are all ticket resellers scams?
No, but you must use caution. Legitimate ticket resellers include platforms like Tixel, Stubhub, and Seatwave, which provide buyer protection guarantees. Always check that the reseller's platform is listed on the official festival website, has verified business details, and offers money-back guarantees. Avoid sellers on classified ad sites or private messaging who have no business registration or insurance.
What should I do if I've already sent money to a fake ticket seller?
Contact your bank or payment provider immediately to report fraud and request a chargeback or reversal. If you used PayPal, report the transaction through their Resolution Centre. For bank transfers, call your bank as soon as possible—they can sometimes recall funds within a short window. Report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Do not send further money to the scammer, even if they claim to 'resend' the tickets.
What if I've already received a fake ticket and the festival is tomorrow?
Contact the festival's box office immediately—their phone number is on the official website. Explain the situation and ask if you can still enter with proof of your original purchase (your bank statement or email confirmation). Some festivals have contingency processes for this. At the same time, report the scam to Action Fraud and your bank, and request an emergency refund. The festival may allow you entry as a goodwill gesture, or they may direct you to last-minute legitimate resellers or contact their sponsor for emergency tickets.
How do I report a fake festival ticket website to the police?
Report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or at actionfraud.police.uk, providing the website URL and details of your interaction. Report the website to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk with screenshots. Report the domain name abuse to the domain registrar (visible on the WHOIS lookup at whois.com). Report fake social media pages directly through Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok using their 'Report' functions. The festival organisation may also help—contact them directly to alert them of the impersonation.