SINGAPORE — More than 1,500 people fell prey to concert ticket scams over the past year, losing a total of at least S$1.1 million.

Police provided the update for the period between January 2023 and January 2024 in an advisory on Friday (Feb 2).

They urged the public to be discerning when buying concert tickets from online third-party resellers, especially with popular artistes the likes of Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Shinee performing in Singapore in the next few months.

Scammers would typically post ticket listings on platforms such as Telegram, Carousell, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Xiaohongsu, said police. Most of the scams last month involved listings on Telegram. 

Victims who approached the scammers via in-app messenger would be redirected to messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Telegram, where they would then be asked to transfer money via PayNow, bank transfers or virtual credits for the tickets. 

After paying, the scammers would request for additional payments, delay delivery or become uncontactable. 

Some victims found out that they had been scammed when the tickets turned out to be invalid at the concert venues. Others realised they had been duped when the scammers refused to provide physical tickets or any proof of authenticity.

Police advised consumers to purchase tickets through authorised sellers or legitimate marketplaces, such as Ticketmaster, instead of third-party resellers. Such sites offer verification of tickets and guarantee refunds for any invalid tickets received. 

Consumers can also protect themselves by using the “escrow” payment option during transactions since it ensures that sellers only receive payment upon delivery. 

Members of the public are also advised to download the ScamShield App to protect themselves from scam calls and SMSes. 

Anyone with information relating to such crimes can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it here. CNA