As the countdown begins for the release of tickets for Taylor Swift's The Eras tour, fans are being warned not to fall for ticketing scams.
With demand expected to severely outstrip availability, the ticket-buying frenzy on Ticketmaster could see some unfortunate fans fall foul of scams and fraudsters, as competition mounts for loyal fans to secure their tickets.
As every music lover knows, cyber security is the last thing we think about when the sheer buzz and excitement of a virtual ticketing queue kicks in.
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It's not just fake ticket scams that are a potential threat to fans and their hard-earned money - but also the risk that cyber crooks could be on the lookout to steal data.
To help protect Swifties when tickets finally go on sale, we've curated a list of top tips to follow to keep your ticket-buying experience safe and secure.
Always buy from an official source
Due to the exceptional demand to see Tay Tay perform at her 2024 shows in London, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Dublin Ticketmaster is running a water-tight ticketing schedule with access only available to fans who have pre-registered.
While this will go some way to limit the chance of fraudulent ticket offerings, fans should remember to stay on the Ticketmaster page at all times and not be swayed by other sites offering (possibly) non-existent tickets at extortionate prices.
The most common ticket scams include seat scams where a ticket for a premium seat ends up being something much cheaper, fraudulent e-tickets that are worth the email they are sent on and duplicate ticket sales where the scammer sells the same ticket to multiple buyers.
All of the above could leave you red-faced and disappointed at the venue, so it's best to just buy from an official source in the first place.
Register with Ticketmaster
Official sites like Ticketmaster will only let you purchase tickets once you are logged in.
The site is secure and will keep your details safe, including payment details that you will need super-fast access to during the transaction.
Making sure that you are logged on in advance of the sale will not only ensure that you are on a secure website, but it will also help you breeze through the payment process when the time comes.
Double-check the URL
Follow the link from the Ticketmaster email to reach the lobby and holding pages for tickets on the day.
With so many scammers around, just typing "Ticketmaster, Taylor Swift " into your search engine could see you land on a fake page that only wants your electronic data and card details.
Avoid unknown links and emails
If you think you have been specially selected to buy tickets using a private link, chances are it's actually a scam.
Do not open emails, social media messages or any other correspondence that isn't from a reputable source, even if it looks like it's been sent from Taylor herself.
Beware of the confirmation email
While Ticketmaster will send you a confirmation email in due course, some spurious criminals will send look-a-like emails to your inbox, with a link asking for more information or to confirm payment details.
Check the email for spelling or grammatical errors and make sure that the sender's address is official and not someone's name followed by a bunch of numbers (we've all seen those ones).
Avoid ticket touts
Official ticket resales will not take place on social media or via email, and they certainly won't take place during the official ticket sale or pre-sale event itself.
While some shows do see tickets returned to be resold, it is less likely with big-ticket superstars like Taylor Swift.
Ticketmaster does offer resale tickets sold by other fans who can no longer attend a show.
In order to combat ticket touts, they promise that tickets will never cost more than the original buyer paid for them.
Tickets touts are the bane of the live music industry, often stocking up on tickets and selling them at hugely inflated prices to desperate fans.
For The Eras tour, ticket sales are limited to a maximum of four tickets per person, once through the checkout.
If it looks too good to be true it probably is
If you are offered Taylor tickets that are super cheap, available before the pre-sale or general sale, or tickets in groups of four or more, chances are they are definitely fake.
While it will be depressing enough not to be successful in the general sale, it will feel even worse if you lost a ton of money and still don't get to see her.
How to get tickets for Taylor Swift UK Eras Tour 2024
Don't be caught out by scammers, set your watches for the official Taylor Swift ticket sale on Ticketmaster instead.
While it could be a little bit stressful, the buzz and the excitement will get us all through.
Fans who registered on the website before June, 23 will receive an email on Wednesday, July 5 which will inform them if they have been successful.
A further email will then be sent, on the afternoon before the ticket live date, containing the special access code needed to buy tickets.
Fans who pre-ordered Taylor's Midnights album will have exclusive access to pre-sale ticket events on:
Monday, July 10 at 10am for London shows
Tuesday, July 11 at 10am for Edinburgh and Dublin shows
Wednesday, July 12 at 10am for Cardiff and Liverpool
General ticket sale events for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour UK:
June 7 2024, Edinburgh – BT Murrayfield Stadium. On sale - Wednesday, July 19, at 2pm.
June 8 2024, Edinburgh – BT Murrayfield Stadium. On sale - Wednesday, July 19, at 2pm.
June 14 2024, Liverpool – Anfield Stadium. On sale - Thursday, July 20, at 2pm.
June 15 2024, Liverpool – Anfield Stadium. On sale - Thursday, July 20 at 2pm.
June 18 2024, Cardiff – Principality Stadium. On sale - Thursday, July 20 at 2pm.
June 21 2024, London – Wembley Stadium. On sale - Tuesday, July 18 at 2pm.
June 22 2024, London – Wembley Stadium. On sale - Tuesday, July 18 at 2pm.
August 15 2024, London – Wembley Stadium. On sale - Tuesday, July 18 at 2pm.
August 16 2024, London – Wembley Stadium. On sale - Tuesday, July 18 at 2pm.
August 17 2024, London – Wembley Stadium. On sale - Tuesday, July 18 at 2pm.
August 18 2024, London – Wembley Stadium. On sale - Tuesday, July 18 at 2pm.
Stay strong Swifties, as Ticketmaster says "It’s important to note that Ticket Sale Registration does not guarantee access to the sale, or to tickets."
