Someone in a fan group is offering tickets to a sold-out show — is this likely a scam?
It's a common setup for fraud. Scammers watch fan groups and comment sections for sold-out events and pose as generous sellers with 'extra' tickets, often disappearing after payment.
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Explanation
When a show sells out, fan communities become flooded with genuine fans looking for tickets and scammers looking for targets. A common tactic is posting a convincing story — a friend can't make it, plans changed, a family emergency — paired with a screenshot of a ticket confirmation, sometimes lifted from someone else's genuine post. The urgency of a sold-out show makes buyers less careful than they'd normally be.
These scammers often create accounts that look established, sometimes by joining the group weeks earlier and posting normal comments to build a thin layer of credibility before making the offer. They'll frequently ask for payment upfront with a promise to transfer the ticket 'right after,' and once paid, either stop responding or claim a transfer error to string the buyer along.
Genuine sellers in fan communities are usually willing to meet in person for a local show, transfer through the official ticketing app in front of you, or use a payment method with buyer protection. Anyone who resists all of these should be treated as a likely scam.
Common red flags
- Seller has a new or thin account history in the fan group
- Screenshot of the ticket looks reused or has inconsistent event details
- Seller wants payment before demonstrating they can actually transfer the ticket
- Story for why they're selling changes or has odd inconsistencies
- Seller avoids video calls or in-person verification
- Multiple people report being asked to pay the same seller for the same 'last' ticket
What to do now
- Ask the seller to do the official app transfer while you're on a video call together
- Never pay before the transfer completes or before you've verified the ticket in your own account
- Search the fan group for other posts mentioning the same seller's name or account
- Report suspicious sellers to the group moderators so others are warned
- Use a payment method with dispute protection if any payment is required upfront
- If scammed, report to the platform, the payment provider, and local consumer protection or police
Frequently asked questions
Should I ever pay before receiving a ticket transfer?
It's safest not to. If a deposit is unavoidable, use a payment method with buyer protection and keep the amount as low as possible until the transfer is confirmed.
Are fan group ticket scams different from resale site scams?
The mechanics are similar, but fan groups add a false sense of trust because members share a common interest. Scammers exploit that trust deliberately, so the same caution applies as with any stranger online.