As anticipation for the Oasis reunion tour reached fever pitch, thousands of fans have unfortunately fallen victim to ticket scams, losing over £2 million collectively, according to new data released by Lloyds Banking Group.
The bank revealed that Oasis fans account for more than half (56%) of all reported concert ticket scams in the UK this year. On average, each victim has lost £436, significantly more than the typical concert ticket scam. In one particularly tragic case, a fan lost more than £1,700.
Lloyds estimates that since tickets went on sale last summer, over 5,000 people across the UK may have been scammed. The majority of cases are linked to fraudulent sellers operating through unofficial groups and listings on social media, offering tickets at inflated or discounted prices that never actually existed.
The scams typically follow a pattern: fraudsters lure fans with fake ads, ask for payment via bank transfer, and then disappear without a trace. These scams tend to spike in two key waves—when tickets are first released, and again as the event date approaches.
Victims are most likely to be between 35 and 44 years old, with Edinburgh, Warrington, and Manchester reporting the highest number of cases.
What You Need to Know to Stay Safe
Lloyds’ fraud prevention director, Liz Ziegler, emphasized the importance of only buying from official sources:
“If you’re asked to pay via bank transfer, particularly by a seller you’ve found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing.”
Consumer rights experts from Which? and Compare the Market echoed the warning, urging fans to stay vigilant and avoid unofficial ticket resellers—even when desperation kicks in. When possible, use a credit card, which may offer protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act if something goes wrong.
We’ve also done our part to protect fans: on our social channels, we’ve actively removed scam comments and warned our community not to trust any listings outside of official ticketing partners like Ticketmaster and Tickets.live
