Buying faulty tickets can be a tough experience. Not only did you spend your hard-earned money but you missed out on a show, festival or a gig that you really wanted to see.
In the last year, the banking group Santander has reported that ticketing scams have more than doubled in the UK. And although this is an upsetting number, you do not have to be a part of it. Here are tips and precautions you can take to avoid a disaster.
Friends and family
Firstly, realise that you do not always have to head to ticket sites to grab yourself some last minute passes. The first step you should take is asking friends and family and anyone you know if they are/know anyone selling the desired ticket. Plus, you might get a ‘mate rate’, which is a bonus if you take this step.
Social Media
Another great tip is to head over to social media to start asking around for a ticket. Post what you’re looking for on your story, or alternatively, many universities have Snapchat stories for their year group. This is similar to asking friends, because chances are you will know the person selling it to you or have mutual people with them, which is at least a basis of trustworthiness.
Fake sites
Research the company and the site carefully.
Sometimes, ticket fraudsters will go to ‘impressive’ heights to fool their customers, making completely fake sites! These sites will often look incredibly similar to the original site, meaning that they can easily fool you into clicking and purchasing some tickets. The likely result will be that the ticket does not arrive and in the vast majority of cases, refunds are not available. To avoid using fake scam sites, there are main areas that you need to check.
First, check that the site has a full, legitimate postal address- you can always google it to find out!- and a full landline number.
If the site only has one mobile number, which tends to ring out when called, then there is a good chance that it is not legitimate!
ALWAYS check the URL, making sure that it has ‘https’ at the start of the link, the ‘s’ stands for secure, meaning that the site is legitimate.
It’s always a good idea to check for a little padlock symbol in the search window, this means that the site is secure as well!
It is also good to check through the site to see if there are any misspellings or mistakes on the website.
When paying, ensure that the site directs you to your bank using a third-party service! Ensure that this third-party service site is also protected by looking for the usual signs of spelling, URL padlock symbols and the letter ‘S’ for secure.
Finally, have a quick look to see if there is a sticker on the site that reads STAR. This stands for Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers and means that the company is subject to strict rules and regulations that allow for full refunds, complaints, and enquiries.
Top tips
Prioritise buying from friends/family, and if not, from someone on social media from your university/community.
Make sure that you always buy your tickets from well-known sites.
Avoid buying tickets at discount prices from ticket sellers outside of events.
If you do end up buying a ticket from an online seller, make sure that you pay them money using PayPal, not your debit card details. By paying with PayPal, you are protected and can also ask for a full refund if the tickets are faulty or—more likely—if the tickets do not even arrive.
Always check the seller’s return policy to make sure that you can return them if they are faulty.
If you do use your own form of payment, then make sure to opt for a credit card, it will be much easier to cancel the payment and to request a refund.
Always keep your receipts via email to use as evidence if you ever have to claim back your money.
Finally, always print off your statement each month and have a look through it to see if there are any irregularities or if someone has hold of your debit card details.
Good luck!
