The police said on Feb 2 that victims would come across listings of concert tickets on online platforms such as Telegram, Carousell, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Xiaohongshu. — Photo by Aditya Chinchure on Unsplash
SINGAPORE: There has been a return of scams involving the sale of concert tickets by online third-party resellers, with at least 1,534 victims losing a total of S$1.1mil (RM3.89mil) or more between January 2023 and January 2024.
The police said on Feb 2 that victims would come across listings of concert tickets on online platforms such as Telegram, Carousell, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Xiaohongshu. They then contact the scammers via-in app messenger.
They may be redirected to other messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or WeChat to make the purchase.
They would then be instructed to transfer money via PayNow, bank transfers or virtual credits, such as gift cards.
The police added that the most number of concert ticket scams involved tickets listed on Telegram in January 2024.
Once payment has been made, the scammers would request for additional payments, delay the delivery of tickets and/or become uncontactable.
For victims who did receive their tickets, they would later find the tickets to be invalid at concert venues. In some cases, the scammers refused to provide physical tickets or any proof of authenticity.
The police urge the public to be careful when shopping online, especially when buying concert tickets from online third-party resellers.
The public can take precautions such as adding security features, such as the ScamShield app, on the phone and enabling two-factor authentication for banks, as well as setting transaction limits on internet banking transactions.
They should also avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers, as this method does not offer any protection to buyers.
People should buy tickets only from authorised sellers and legitimate ticket marketplaces or resellers, such as Ticketmaster. A physical meeting should be arranged with the seller to verify the authenticity of the tickets prior to making payment, the police added. – The Straits Times (Singapore)/Asia News Network
