Tennis fans and concert-goers are being urged to do their research to avoid falling prey to ticket scammers and scalpers ahead of the Australian Open and upcoming major concerts.
Consumer Affairs Victoria fielded more than 1100 reports about event ticketing and resales in the 2021/22 financial year, prompting a warning from authorities to be vigilant.
"Ice House is playing in the next couple of months, you've got Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and the Australian Open is just around the corner," Consumer Affairs Minister Danny Pearson told reporters at Hamer Hall on Wednesday.
"We know that's there a lot of big events that are coming, and we just want to make sure people do the research."
Mr Pearson described scammers as "the lowest of the low" and said ticket-related reports to Consumer Affairs had risen after COVID-19 lockdown-plagued years saw fewer events go ahead.
Glenroy resident Patrick Meehan paid more than $500 for tickets to see English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg but they never arrived.
He couldn't get a refund from his bank, leaving him out of pocket.
"Be very careful," he warned others.
"Because you never know if you're going to get scammed. It's not a pretty feeling."
Victoria's anti-scalping laws outlaw the resale of tickets at more than 10 per cent above face value for declared events, including the Australian Open, Australian Formula One Grand Prix and all 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup matches in Melbourne.
Last year's Australian Open was marred by the explosion of COVID-19 cases during the nation's first wave of the Omicron sub-variant, as well as the deportation of nine-time men's champion Novak Djokovic over his vaccination status.
The Serbian touched down in Australia last week and Mr Peason said Mr Djokovic was welcome back in Victoria, declaring fans at Melbourne Park would be "fixated" on enjoying themselves rather than the furore of 12 months ago.
