Ticketmaster scams: fake resale tickets, look-alike sites and emails
Quick answer
Fake tickets and sites that look like Ticketmaster are the main risks. Buy only through ticketmaster.com or the official app, never pay a stranger by gift card, wire or cashier's check, and forward suspect emails to Ticketmaster. Report losses to the FTC.
- Comes by
- Website, Email, Social media, Ad
- Pretends to be
- Ticketmaster
- Last updated
How it works
Ticketmaster's own safety guidance describes the main ways people get burned:
- Look-alike sites. Search results and ads can lead to sites that look like Ticketmaster but aren't. Check the address, or use the official app.
- Fake or speculative resale. Sellers list tickets they don't have or haven't been released. Ticketmaster advises not buying resale tickets before the event sale has started.
- Off-platform sales. Social media and classified sellers ask for payment by gift card, wire or cashier's check, which Ticketmaster says it would never ask for in exchange for tickets.
- Copied barcodes. Photos of tickets posted online show the barcode, which can be copied into duplicates.
- Fake emails. Messages that claim to be from Ticketmaster and ask you to click or log in.
Ticketmaster is the one being impersonated: scammers use its name and look.
Red flags
- A seller who wants a gift card, wire transfer or cashier's check
- Tickets for sale before the event's official sale has started
- A site reached from an ad or search result with an address that isn't ticketmaster.com
- A ticket photo with a visible barcode or QR code
- An email or text asking you to log in or pay urgently to keep your tickets
- Tickets that don't show up in your Ticketmaster account after a transfer
Example message
I have two floor tickets for sale, can't go anymore. Price is [amount] each. Send payment by gift card or [payment app] and I'll send the screenshot of the tickets right away.
What to do
- 1
Buy and sell through Ticketmaster
Use ticketmaster.com or the official app. After a transfer, check that the tickets are in your account.
- 2
Check the address before you pay
Type the address yourself rather than clicking an ad or search result.
- 3
Don't post ticket photos online
A visible barcode can be copied.
- 4
If tickets didn't arrive, contact the seller's platform and your bank
Ticketmaster says to contact the source you bought from, give the email linked to your Ticketmaster account and ask for a direct transfer. Call your bank if you paid by card.
- 5
Report suspicious emails and sites
Ticketmaster's help site explains where to send them. Report losses to the FTC.
Report it
- Ticketmaster: suspicious sites or emails help.ticketmaster.com/hc/en-us/articles/9613615557649-What-if-I-find-a-suspicious-site-or-email-claiming-to-be-Ticketmaster
- Ticketmaster blog: ticketing scams blog.ticketmaster.com/ticketing-scams-tips-best-practices/
- FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov reportfraud.ftc.gov
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
If you've bought tickets before, your name, email and phone number sit in more than one database. Scammers get contact details from data brokers and breaches, which is how a fake "your tickets are on hold" message can arrive with your name on it. Serus finds where your phone number, address and email are listed and removes them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Frequently asked
Is Ticketmaster a scam?
No. Ticketmaster is a real company whose name is used by scammers. The risk is look-alike sites and off-platform resale.
How do I know a Ticketmaster email is real?
Don't use its links. Open the app or type ticketmaster.com yourself and check your account.
Would Ticketmaster ask for a gift card?
No. It says it will never ask you to pay for tickets with a gift card or money order.
What if I bought fake tickets?
Call your bank or card issuer, then report it to the FTC. If you paid by gift card, contact the card company.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
