Big ticket events: how to buy tickets safely and avoid being swindled

From the Paris Olympic Games to Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour (and all the festivals in between), this summer will see a number of big music and sports events take place in the UK and overseas.

Tickets for many of these events are limited, while demand is high, creating a perfect storm for scammers to take advantage.

Action Fraud has received more than 10,000 reports of ticket fraud in the past 13 months, with £9.3m lost.

If you're searching for highly sought-after tickets this summer, follow our tips on where to buy them safely, how to avoid a dud deal and your refund rights if an event doesn't go as planned.

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The Olympic Games Paris 2024: how to get tickets

If you're looking to go to this year's games, you should only buy tickets from the official Olympic Paris 2024 website. The organiser's say that no other sales platform is authorised to sell tickets.

But even if you believe you're ordering from the official site, it’s worth carefully checking the URL before entering any personal details. The French police has identified more than 300 fake sites in recent months.

If the event you wanted to attend has sold out, you might still be able to get tickets from the official Paris 2024 resale site, which allows tickets to be relisted at face value.

This is the only platform permitted for reselling or transferring tickets and you could be refused entry if you buy tickets from another secondary platform (such as Stubhub or Viagogo) or through social media.

The event’s terms and conditions state: ‘Paris 2024 reserves the right to terminate any order relating to tickets being illicitly resold or transferred. Such orders shall then be cancelled and the ticket holder will be refused entry to the venue.’

• Planning on watching this summer's sport from your living room? Read our guide to the TV features you need for watching sport.

Taylor Swift August The Eras Tour tickets

Avoid secondary ticket sites and scams

Securing tickets for The Eras Tour is no easy feat, with some loyal Swifties willing to pay over the odds for limited seats.

If you missed the general sale for tickets, you might be tempted to buy through a secondary ticketing site or even via social media, but we advise only buying tickets from the two official ticket websites, AXS and Ticketmaster.

Taylor Swift ticket scams have been rife on social media and even if you do buy a legitimate ticket from a secondary platform, you still might be refused entry.

The Eras Tour terms and conditions specifically state: ‘Your tickets will immediately become invalid if resold or offered for sale unless the sale is through the official ticket agent fan to fan exchange. Tickets sold via third parties and other unauthorised outlets, including online auction sites, are not valid for admission.’

It’s also possible that Ticketmaster will release extra tickets on the day of each August show, as they did in June. If they do, there's every chance scammers will try to take advantage of fans looking for last-minute seats.

To avoid being swindled, double-check that the Ticketmaster URL and any emails purporting to be from Ticketmaster are legitimate before placing your order.

• Read more: how to avoid ticketing scams

Issues with VIP tickets

Some Swift fans, despite paying for pricey VIP tickets, were disappointed to find that they had a restricted view at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium show in June.

A fan posted on TikTok, videoing their view around the stadium, with a tent and technical equipment blocking the stage. They complained and were subsequently moved to press seats.

If you paid over the odds for VIP tickets that aren’t quite what you thought they’d be, it’s worth kicking up a fuss on the night to see if you can be moved to seats with a better view.

You can then try to make a claim for a partial refund, but be sure to take photos and videos on the night to support your claim.

• Find out more: how to avoid scams when buying Taylor Swift tickets.

My event's been cancelled, rescheduled or the line-up has changed

It's not unheard of for concerts to be postponed at the last minute, as we saw recently with Stevie Nicks’ rescheduled shows.

If an event you're attending this summer is rescheduled, your tickets should remain valid. But if you can’t make the new date and you bought your tickets from a primary ticket seller such as Ticketmaster, you’re entitled to a refund of at least the face value of the ticket under rules by The Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR).

You’re also entitled to a refund if your show is cancelled, although you’re unlikely to be able to claim back any additional expenses, such as pre-booked travel or hotel accommodation.

These refund rules don't apply if you bought from a secondary ticket site, such as Stubhub or Viagogo.

Festival line-ups can also have last-minute changes. But if your favourite act cancels and you no longer want to attend the event, it's unlikely that you'll get your money back.

Most festival organisers state in their terms and conditions that they won't issue refunds if the line-up changes.

It's still worth carefully checking your ticket terms to see what you're entitled to. You could also try making a claim with your bank on the basis that you didn't get the goods or services you paid for, although there's no guarantee you'll get your money back this way either.

If all else fails, you could attempt to resell your tickets through the event's official resale partner.

• Read more: how do I get a refund from a ticket seller?

Five tips for buying tickets safely

Whatever event you’re going to this summer, it’s important to be wary of scammers and bad deals.

Follow these tips to make sure that you're buying legitimate tickets.

• Stick to official retailers - it’s always best to buy from official websites. In the event of a sell-out, some artists and promoters partner with resale sites such as Twickets, which only allows tickets to be resold at face value or below. Other resale websites exist, but most aren't affiliated with artists and allow resellers to charge whatever they want.
• Only enter official competitions - you should only enter ticket competitions advertised by legitimate brands on their official channels and websites. You can use who.is to check when a website was created. A newly created website can be a red flag.
• Be alert to scammers on social media - buying tickets from strangers on social media can leave you open to being scammed. In particular, you should watch out for newly set up profiles that follow no one or have no followers. These accounts may have been opened specifically to scam people looking to buy tickets. You can also use reverse image search to check where profile images originate from.
• Avoid offers that seem too good to be true - when buying tickets for sold-out events, be wary of prices that seem too cheap, as fraudsters may be using these to lure you in.
• Don’t pay by bank transfer - fraudsters will sometimes try to get you to make bank transfers or pay in Bitcoin. If you do choose to buy tickets from an individual seller, try to pay using a credit card so you’re protected by Section 75. Alternatively, PayPal has its own Buyer Protection system.

If you’ve lost money to a scammer, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card. Report the scam to Action Fraud or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.