High demand for Taylor Swift tickets means scams abound – Reuters

As millions of fans rush to get Taylor Swift tickets, scam opportunities abound. Here’s how to stay safe online.

Ticketmaster’s terrible pre-sale process has left many fans turning to secondary ticketing sites to get their fix. Here are some important points to keep in mind when buying tickets. If you see an offer that’s too good to be true, it probably is.

“Scammers can lure consumers with attractive, low prices only for them to realize the ticket was fake upon attending the event,” warns the Cleveland Better Business Bureau. Meanwhile, the Boston Police Department is warning Swifties to only buy tickets from “authorized agencies” to avoid fake tickets.

“Purchasing by other means creates the possibility of possessing an invalid or counterfeit ticket,” the BPD told its Twitter followers. So if counterfeit tickets are such a problem, where can you buy real Taylor Swift tickets?

Secondary markets like StubHub are generally safe, but Eras Tour tickets are massively inflated. Some dates have tickets available for $17,000 to $35,000 depending on stadium location. However, the average ticket reseller price on StubHub seems to be around $600. Vivid Seats and Seat Geek are also sites recommended by the Better Business Bureau.

The BBB, however, encourages consumers to review any ticketing site’s policies regarding transactions. Only buy concert tickets with a credit card so you can easily get your money back. Avoid resellers who ask for gift cards, a wire transfer transaction, or cash, as it is impossible to get your money back through these means.

After receiving your physical copy of the ticket, you must examine it thoroughly. Does anything seem out of place? Are all event details correct? Are there any glaring spelling mistakes? Can you read everything on the front of the ticket? Counterfeits are often visible upon inspection of these details.