I got a phone call claiming to be the box office saying there's a problem with my ticket order — is this a scam?
It can be. Scammers sometimes call claiming to represent the venue or ticketing company, saying there's a payment issue, to extract card details or push you toward a fraudulent 'corrected' payment.
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Explanation
This scam relies on caller ID spoofing or simply guessing that a person recently bought tickets to a popular event, then calling with a plausible-sounding story: a declined payment, a duplicate charge, or a system error that needs 'reprocessing.' The caller asks for your card number, expiry date, and security code to 'fix' the issue, or directs you to a fake payment link sent by text during the call.
Genuine box offices and ticketing companies rarely call customers proactively about payment issues; if there's a real problem with an order, it's usually flagged through the account itself, an official email, or by the payment simply failing at the point of purchase. A caller who already has some of your details, such as the event name or a partial card number, may seem more credible, but that information can come from data breaches unrelated to the ticket purchase itself.
The safest response to any unsolicited call about a ticket order is to hang up and call back using a phone number found independently, such as from the venue's official website, rather than a number the caller provides or that shows on caller ID.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited call claiming a problem with a ticket payment that needs immediate correction
- Caller asks for full card number, expiry date, or security code over the phone
- Caller pressures you to act immediately or lose the tickets
- Caller ID shows a number that seems to match the venue but can't be verified independently
- Caller sends a payment link by text during the call
- Request to pay via an unusual method such as a gift card or wire transfer
What to do now
- Hang up and call the venue or ticketing company back using a number from their official website, not one given by the caller
- Never give full card details, including the security code, over an unsolicited call
- Check your ticket order status by logging into your account directly
- Report the call to the venue or ticketing company's fraud or customer service team
- If you've already given card details, contact your bank immediately to flag potential fraud
- Report the number to your phone carrier or a call-blocking service if spam calls persist
Frequently asked questions
Can caller ID be trusted to confirm who's calling?
No. Caller ID can be spoofed to show a legitimate-looking name or number, so it shouldn't be used alone to verify a caller's identity.
What should I do if I already gave my card details on a suspicious call?
Contact your bank or card issuer immediately, explain what happened, and ask them to monitor or block the card for suspicious activity.