Buying tickets online should be the easy part
You've seen the announcement, your friends are in, and the date is already circled in your calendar. The last thing you want is to arrive at the door and find out your ticket is fake, already used, or never existed in the first place.
Unfortunately, ticket scams are one of the most common types of online fraud. They spike around sold-out concerts, festival season, big sporting fixtures and anything with a long queue on release day. Scammers know that excitement and fear of missing out make people act fast, and acting fast is exactly what they're counting on.
The good news is that most ticket scams follow the same handful of patterns. Once you know what to look for, they become much easier to spot. At Billetto we sell more than 2 million tickets a year for events across Europe, and we've seen most of the tricks in the book.
In this guide, we'll walk you through the simplest ways to avoid ticket scams, from fake tickets and inflated prices to tickets that have already been sold to someone else. We'll also cover what to do if you think you've been scammed, because acting quickly can make a real difference.
1. Only buy tickets from official sources
The safest way to buy a ticket is always from the event's official ticket seller. That sounds obvious, but in practice it's easy to end up somewhere else. A search engine ad, a link in a group chat or a convincing lookalike website can all lead you away from the real thing.
Before you buy, find out who is actually selling tickets for the event. The most reliable way is to start with the people behind it:
- The artist, performer or team. Their official website and verified social media accounts will usually link directly to the right ticket page.
- The venue. Most venues list upcoming events and tell you exactly where tickets are sold.
- The organiser. If an event is sold through Billetto, the organiser's own website or social posts will link to the event page on Billetto. Not sure who is behind an event? Here's how to see who is organising an event on Billetto.
When you land on a ticket page, take a second to check the web address. Scam sites often use names that are almost right, with an extra word, a hyphen or a different ending. If you're buying through Billetto, make sure you're on the real Billetto website or in the official Billetto app.
Official sellers also give you something unofficial sellers can't: a direct line to the organiser. If an event is moved, changed or cancelled, the organiser can reach the people who bought through the official channel, and you can always contact the organiser with questions. Tickets bought on Billetto are also covered by Billetto Peace of Mind if an event is cancelled. If you bought from a stranger, you're on your own.
2. Don't buy tickets before they go on sale
If tickets for an event haven't been released yet, nobody can sell you one. It really is that simple.
Even so, some unofficial third-party sellers list tickets before the official sale has started. They take your money now and promise to get hold of a ticket for you once sales open. This is sometimes called speculative selling, and it's a favourite tactic of ticket touts. The seller doesn't actually have your ticket, and in many cases they never manage to get one. When that happens, you may be left chasing a refund from a company that's hard to contact, or one that has quietly disappeared.
A few warning signs that a listing is speculative:
- The event has been announced, but the official sale date is still in the future.
- The seller can't tell you your exact seat, row or section, or says it will be "confirmed later".
- Delivery of the ticket is promised "closer to the event" with no clear date.
If you're keen not to miss out, the better approach is to prepare for the official release. Follow the artist, venue or organiser so you hear about the on-sale date first. Have your account set up and your payment details ready before tickets drop, so you can move quickly when the time comes.
3. Pay attention to the price
Price is one of the clearest clues that something isn't right, and it can point in two directions.
Too cheap to be true. If someone is offering tickets to a sold-out show at half the face value, ask yourself why. Genuine fans who can no longer go usually want their money back, not a loss. Scammers, on the other hand, use low prices as bait. A bargain makes people stop asking questions and pay before they think it through.
Suspiciously expensive. The same scammers also take advantage of high demand by charging far more than the original price. They rely on you assuming the event is sold out and that paying extra is the only way in. Often it isn't. Before you pay a premium, check the official ticket page. There may still be tickets left at the regular price, or a new batch may be released closer to the date.
A good habit is to look up the official face value before you buy anywhere else. That gives you a benchmark. If the price you're being offered is far below or far above it, treat it as a red flag and dig a little deeper before handing over any money.
And be wary of pressure tactics. Messages like "only one left", "someone else is about to buy it" or "I need an answer in ten minutes" are designed to rush you. A real seller can wait while you check.
4. Be careful with printed tickets and screenshots
A printed ticket or a screenshot of a QR code might look perfectly real, but there's no way to know how many copies exist. The same ticket can be printed, photographed and sold to several different people. At the door, the first person to scan it gets in. Everyone else is turned away, even though their ticket looks identical.
This is one of the most common ways people lose money when buying second-hand. The seller isn't necessarily faking the ticket itself. They're simply selling a genuine ticket more than once.
When you buy your ticket on the Billetto website or in the Billetto app, you get a digital ticket linked to your purchase. It's sent to the email address you used at checkout, and you can always find it again in your Billetto Wallet, on the web or in the app, and show it on your phone at the door. Because it comes straight from the official sale, you know it hasn't been passed around before it reached you.
If you're offered a ticket by someone else, be very cautious about paying for a PDF, a printout or a photo of a barcode. Ask yourself whether you could prove the ticket is valid and unused. If you can't, it's safer to walk away.
There are safer ways to pass on a Billetto ticket. A friend who can't go can transfer the ticket to you directly. And Billetto tickets can be resold through TicketSwap, where the original ticket is invalidated, the buyer gets a new verified ticket, and resale prices are capped at 20% above face value.
5. Be careful what you click on
Not every ticket scam involves a fake ticket. Some are designed to steal your login details, card information or personal data instead. These are known as phishing scams, and they often arrive as an email or text message that looks like it comes from a ticket company, a venue or a payment provider.
Typical examples include messages saying your order has a problem, your tickets will be cancelled unless you confirm your details, or you've won free tickets and just need to "claim" them. The link takes you to a page that looks official but is built to capture whatever you type in.
Some simple rules will keep you safe:
- Don't click links in messages you weren't expecting. If something seems urgent, go to the website or app directly instead of using the link.
- Check the sender. Look closely at the email address or phone number, not just the display name.
- Never share passwords or verification codes. A genuine ticket company will never ask you for these by email, text or phone.
- Look out for spelling mistakes and odd wording. They're often a sign the message wasn't sent by the company it claims to be from.
If you want to get in touch with Billetto, always use the contact form on our official Help Centre. That way you know you're talking to us and not to someone pretending to be us.
More ways to stay safe
Pay with a secure method. Avoid bank transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency or payment apps meant for sending money to friends when buying from someone you don't know. Once that money is gone, it's very hard to get back. Paying by card through an official checkout gives you far more protection. On Billetto, payments are powered by Stripe and Adyen, so your card details are handled securely.
Be extra careful on social media. Comment sections under event posts, fan groups and marketplace listings are favourite hunting grounds for scammers. Fake profiles often claim they "can't go anymore" and are happy to sell cheap. Check how old the profile is, whether it has real activity, and whether the person will let you pay in a protected way.
Check the seller. If you're buying from a website you haven't used before, look for clear contact details, a company name and reviews from other buyers. A site with no way to get in touch is a warning sign.
Keep a record. Save your order confirmation, receipts and any messages with the seller. If something goes wrong, this evidence will help you.
What to do if you think you've been scammed
If you suspect you've bought a fake ticket or handed your details to a scammer, act quickly. The sooner you take action, the better your chances of limiting the damage.
- Contact your bank or card provider straight away. Explain what happened and ask whether they can stop or reverse the payment.
- Change your passwords if you entered login details on a suspicious page, starting with your email and any accounts that use the same password.
- Report the seller to the website, marketplace or social media platform where you found them, so they can remove the listing and warn others.
- Report it to the police. In the UK, you can report fraud to Action Fraud. In other countries, contact your local police or national consumer protection authority.
- Get in touch with the official ticket seller. If the event is sold through Billetto, contact Billetto Support and we'll help you check whether a ticket is genuine.
Don't be embarrassed to speak up. Ticket scams are designed to fool people, and reporting them helps stop the next person getting caught out.
Enjoy the event, not the stress
Most ticket scams can be avoided with a little patience and a quick check before you pay. Buy from official sources, wait for the real on-sale date, question prices that seem too low or too high, avoid printed tickets from strangers and think twice before clicking unexpected links.
The safest ticket is one that comes straight from the organiser. When you buy on Billetto, your digital ticket is sent to your email and is always waiting for you in your Billetto Wallet, ready to scan at the door. That leaves you free to focus on what matters: the night itself.
Ready to find your next event? Browse what's on near you at Billetto and book with confidence.
