Taylor Swift fans have been conned out of £1m by Eras Tour ticket scams - and scams are still live, Lloyds bank warns

Taylor Swift fans have been conned out of more than £1m by Eras Tour ticket scams, a bank has warned.

Ahead of the global music icon coming to the UK for the first time in six years this summer, major bank Lloyds Bank has warned fans that the scams are circulating on social media.

Analysis by Lloyds Bank of scam reports made by its customers found a surge in fraud cases from those buying tickets for the star’s upcoming UK Eras Tour dates. Since tickets went on sale in July last year, more than 600 customers have reported being scammed - a figure that the bank say is “significantly more” than for any other music artist.

The average amount of money lost by each victim was £332, though in some cases it was more than £1,000. Using figures based solely on its own customer data, the bank estimates that there are likely to have been at least 3,000 victims since tickets went on sale, with over £1 million being lost to fraudsters so far.

Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director, Lloyds Bank, said: “For her legion of dedicated Swifties, the excitement is building ahead of Taylor’s Eras Tour finally touching down in the UK this summer. However cruel fraudsters have wasted no time in targeting her most loyal fans as they rush to pick up tickets for her must-see concerts.

“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.”

More than 90% of reported cases start with fake adverts or posts on Facebook, which includes Facebook Marketplace. A search of Facebook by the bank revealed dozens of unofficial groups have been set up, many with tens of thousands of members, specifically for people looking to buy and sell tickets for Taylor Swift concerts. Likewise Facebook Marketplace has various listings for tickets at venues all over the country.

Fans aged 25 to 34 trying to buy sold-out tickets are most likely to be targeted. With all Eras Tour UK dates now sold out, many more fans are likely to fall victim to ticket scams in the coming weeks and months, both leading up to the tour and once the concerts begin in June, Lloyds has warned.

Fans of Coldplay, Beyonce and Harry Styles were also targeted by scams last summer, it added.

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.

Ziegler added: “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.”