North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin, North Wales Police, and Get Safe Online have teamed up to help people buy tickets safely. 

Get Safe Online’s tips include:

Not buying tickets from anyone apart from official vendors, the box office or regulated ticket marketplaces, however desperate you are

Double-checking details of your purchase before confirming payment

Considering that tickets advertised on other sources such as social media, fan forums and auction sites have a high chance of being fake or non-existent, however authentic they may seem and whether they’re advertised at, below or above face value

Not being tempted to click on social media, text or email links or attachments offering tickets, as they could link to fraudulent or malware ridden sites, paying for tickets by by credit card, for additional protection

Checking sellers’ privacy and returns policies

Ensuring the site offers a guarantee or consumer protection for peace of mind

Checking that the page is genuine by carefully entering the address yourself, not from a link and is secure with ‘https’ and a locked padlock in the url, and logging out when you’ve completed the transaction.

Check a website is legitimate by using Get Safe Online’s tools at www.getsafeonline.org/safeticketbuyertools

Mr Dunbobbin said: “A few simple checks can make all the difference in protecting yourself and your finances, so read the tips and bear them in mind next time you are tempted to buy tickets through social media.”

DC Rachel Roberts, Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer, North Wales Police, added: “Ticket scams can leave victims out of pocket and unable to attend events they were excited about, causing both financial loss and emotional distress. Don’t forget – these types of scams also extend to tickets for travel, so when purchasing tickets, it is important that you use a trusted and reputable company.”

For more, visit www.getsafeonline.org