Taylor Swift fans lose £1m in scams, Lloyds Bank estimates

The UK leg of Swift's Eras tour will begin in June

Taylor Swift fans have lost an estimated £1m in ticket scams ahead of the UK leg of her Eras tour, according to a report by Lloyds Bank.

The bank said more than 600 of its customers had come forward to report being scammed, losing an average of £332 each - with some losing £1,000.

It added that 90% of the reported ticket scams started on Facebook.

There has been huge demand for tickets to see the superstar when she performs in the UK in June and August.

'It's horrible - you just feel helpless'

When Karen Elrick's Facebook account was hacked in December, scammers started impersonating her, posting messages offering Taylor Swift tickets for sale.

Several friends fell foul of the trick, transferring about £750 each - before discovering the ads weren't real and the tickets didn't exist.

"I know of at least three, but I think the police said there were four that have actually bought the tickets," says the 38-year-old from Glasgow. "And I think as soon as the money's gone through, they're then just blocked on the Facebook account."

The police have made little progress and Facebook have not removed the account, despite multiple requests, she says.

The scammers regularly post similar messages, leaving them up for about a day before removing them so they are no longer there if Facebook investigates.

"It's horrible," she says. "You just feel very helpless because it's friends of yours that are losing money. They obviously realise quite quickly it's not me that's stealing from them, but it's just not a nice feeling.

"It's totally out of my control and there doesn't seem to be anything that anyone can help with. Nobody seems to be able to do anything."

She adds: "If you see Taylor Swift tickets on Facebook, it's likely a scam."

Lloyds said there were significantly more ticket scam reports relating to Swift than any other artist.

If other banks have similar figures, there are likely to have been at least 3,000 victims across the UK, it said.

How to spot and avoid a scam

• Do some research on the company you're buying from and only purchase tickets from the venue, the promoter (such as Live Nation), an official agent (such as Ticketmaster) or a well-known and reputable ticket exchange site

• Search engines such as Google aren't always the best place to look, as unauthorised ticket resellers can buy their way to the top of listings with ads

• Look out for the STAR logo - that means the vendor is a member of Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers and signals company has signed up to strict governing standards

• Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering the money if you become a victim of fraud

• Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets - it's more than likely that such offers are too good to be true

All UK dates for Swift's Eras tour are sold out, which has prompted some fans who did not get tickets through official channels to look elsewhere.

Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank, said: "Cruel fraudsters have wasted no time in targeting her most loyal fans as they rush to pick up tickets for her must-see concerts."

She added: "It's easy to let our emotions get the better of us when we find out our favourite artist is going to be performing live, but it's important not to let those feelings cloud our judgement when trying to get hold of tickets.

"Buying directly from reputable, authorised platforms is the only way to guarantee you're paying for a genuine ticket. Even then, always pay by debit or credit card for the greatest protection.

"If you're being asked to pay by bank transfer, particularly from a seller you've found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing."

• Taylor Swift superfans caught in £250 ticket scam

• 'Off-the-scale' demand fuelling gig ticket scams

• Club backs 'Taylor Swift tax' to help small venues

Lloyds said it was also aware of a larger number of scam cases involving major concerts, with the number rising by 158% in 2023 compared with the previous year.

Other major artists commonly targeted last summer included Coldplay, Harry Styles, and Beyonce. Across all concert ticket scams, victims were losing £133 on average.

The bank said purchase scams happen when someone is tricked into sending money via bank transfer to buy goods or services that don't exist.

Ticket scams usually involve fake adverts, posts or listings on social media, offering tickets at discounted prices, or access to events which have already sold out at inflated prices.

Victims are asked to pay upfront for the tickets, but once the payment is made, the scammers disappear. This leaves the both buyer without the tickets and out of pocket.

The List: 13 Times Taylor Swift Made History

As she releases her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, we're bringing up Taylor Swift's history: from dizzying Grammy records to reaching billionaire status and everything in between.

Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK only)