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Concert and event ticket scam
Sold-out tickets from a stranger's account, paid for by friends-and-family.
How it works
A social post offers tickets to a sold-out show at face value. The seller insists on PayPal friends-and-family, Zelle, or Cash App because 'fees eat the profit'. You receive a screenshot or a PDF that has been resold to five other people, and you find out at the gate.
Red flags
- Payment demanded as friends-and-family or by bank transfer
- Tickets sent as a screenshot or PDF rather than an official transfer
- Seller account is new or has borrowed photos
- Pressure to pay before someone else takes them
Real-world example
"Two floor tickets, face value, need gone tonight — Zelle only, no PayPal goods and services please."
What to do
- 01Buy only through the official box office or the artist's verified resale partner.
- 02Never pay by friends-and-family; it removes your buyer protection.
- 03Require an in-app transfer to your own ticketing account, not a file.
- 04Report the seller to the platform and your payment provider.
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