Oasis fans warned of ticket scams as reunion tour sparks frenzy among fraudsters

Oasis fans scrambling for last-minute tickets ahead of the most eagerly awaited tour of the year are being targeted by scammers who could steal over £2m from people desperate to see the reunion shops. The Britpop legends kick off their 13-date Uk tour on Friday night in Cardiff and take in Manchester, London and Edinburgh before heading to Dublin and then Canada.

But with all the shows sold-out the hunt for ticket has intensified with global fraudsters looking to swindle fans out of their hard-earned cash.

Security experts say ahead of looking for secondary tickets Oasis fans should educate themselves on how to spot a scam, with new data released by Action Fraud revealing scams are more common than ever before.

Sites such as viagogo, Stubhub, and Vivid Seats allow fans to buy resale tickets from other fans. However, it is important to note that ticket conditions often prohibit resale after initial purchase. Those tickets may not be valid for admittance to gigs.

Fans intending to buy tickets for live events through resale websites should check the ticket terms and conditions, to confirm whether resale is prohibited, before they buy. Ticket terms and conditions can be checked with the original seller, such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation. If resale is prohibited, tickets bought second-hand could be voided and admission to the event refused.

Last summer the public lost £1.6 million in scams relating to concerts in 2024, more than double the figure from the previous year. The figure was impacted by Taylor Swift's epic Era's Tour but the number of victims is expected to be even larger this year, with the Oasis Live 25 Reunion Tour the highlight of a string of big name summer dates including Coldplay, Guns N' Roses, Iron Maiden, Stevie Wonder, as well as festivals like Glastonbury, Download, Isle of Wight, Leeds/Reading and All Points East.

A reported 14 million people attempted to buy tickets for Oasis when they first went on sale, with an estimated 1.4 million sold, leaving a huge number of fans looking for tickets from resellers.

To help Oasis fans stay protected when buying second hand tickets, Sarah Knowles cyber security expert at Shift Key Cyber, shares her top tips on how to spot a ticket scam:

Where to spot a scam

Bots on X

"Bots on social media sites including X, are fake profiles that are controlled via the X API. In simple terms, this means the software autonomously performs actions such as posting, re-posting, liking, following, unfollowing or direct messaging other accounts.

"In the case of concert and event tickets, the bots will share a post claiming they have a ticket for sale, or will reply to anyone who has shared a post about looking for tickets.

"A Bot account will usually be following a large number of people, but have very few followers. They may also have an AI-generated profile photo, or the profile location may be in a different country from the event in question.

"If you are looking for second-hand tickets on X, be very mindful of Bots and do not give any of your personal information or send across payment unless you are 100% sure the account is genuine."

Facebook fan groups

"Dedicated event groups or fan groups of the performing artist (such as Oasis in this case) are also a key target for scammers.

"Watch out for Bots responding to any posts about buying or selling tickets using the same method."

Fake resale social media accounts

"The safest way to buy a second-hand ticket is through a face-value ticket resale platform, like Twickets, or the Ticketmaster resale page. These sites have a guarantee in place to protect buyers if tickets are not as described or are invalid. Sellers are also protected if a buyer claims they didn't receive the tickets.

"However, fraudsters are now creating social media profiles and even websites that mimic the pages of resale like Twickets, in an attempt to trick buyers.

"It's vital that you stop and think before making a purchase, and research the website you are buying from. Make sure it is an official resale partner by referring to the official event website."

Vinted and Ebay

"This isn't the most common form of ticketing scam anymore, but it does still happen from time to time.

"If you see a seller offering tickets to an event for way more than face value, or asking for buyers to bid for the highest price, stay away."

How do you know if you've been scammed?

Sarah adds: "There are some telltale signs that you've been a victim of a ticket scam, including: Being asked to send money via bank transfer: "Reputable ticket vendors will never ask for payment via personal bank transfer. You should also not be asked to make a payment until you have proof that the tickets have been sent, or until you have met in person to exchange the tickets."

Non-delivery: "The tickets you purchased are then not sent, or appear to be delayed in the post."

Failed or second payments: "Be wary of error messages claiming your first payment failed and asking for a second one."

You are being pressured into making a purchase quickly: "If the seller is pressuring you to buy the tickets immediately, this is a huge red flag as they are clearly trying to get hold of your money as quickly as possible."

Communication issues after payment: "If you hear nothing from the seller as soon as you've made the payment, it's likely you've been scammed."

Sarah said: "If you think you have been a victim of a ticket scam, report it to Action Fraud or your local police immediately. It's important to always use your credit card when buying event tickets, as you are then protected by your bank and they should be able to recover the funds for you."