Ticket resale scams

Ticket resale scams sell event tickets below value via direct transfer, then send fakes or nothing at all.

How ticket resale scams work

A seller offers sought-after tickets below face value and pushes a fast bank transfer.

Urgency ('lots of interest') discourages checking; the tickets are fake or never arrive.

Direct transfers to strangers have no buyer protection.

Common opening lines

• “Selling tickets below face value - pay by bank transfer.”
• “Last pair, lots of interest - transfer now to secure them.”
• “I'll send tickets after a deposit; the rest on delivery.”

Example patterns

Sanitised examples - placeholders only, never real links or data.

Red flags

• too good
• payment request
• fake payment

What to do now

1. Stop paying and keep the deal/communication on official channels.
2. If money moved, contact your bank or payment provider immediately.
3. Save evidence and report to your national cybercrime authority.

What not to do

• Don't pay a fee to receive money, a refund, a prize, or to 'release' funds.
• Don't pay via gift cards, wire, or crypto to someone you haven't verified.
• Don't trust payment screenshots as proof of payment.

If you already responded

If you went further: if you clicked, don't enter anything and change any details you typed; if you entered card details, freeze the card with your bank; if you shared an OTP, change the password and enable app-based 2FA; if you paid, contact your bank or provider immediately; if you installed an app or gave remote access, disconnect, uninstall, and change passwords from a clean device.

How to verify safely

Use official resale platforms with buyer protection; avoid direct bank transfers to strangers for cheap tickets.

How to report

Report through official channels you find yourself - never a number or link from the message. Tell your bank or payment provider if money moved, and file with your national fraud or cybercrime body. Find the right links in the reporting directory. Open the reporting directory.

Watch for 'recovery' offers afterwards: anyone promising to get your money back for an upfront fee is running a second scam.

Sources checked

• FTC Consumer Advice - Imposter scams
• FBI IC3 - Senior US officials impersonated in malicious messaging campaign (2025)

Last reviewed: 2026-06-05

This is general safety information, not legal, financial, or cybersecurity incident-response advice. We can't detect every scam or guarantee recovery - always verify through official channels.