The Belgian federal police have launched a campaign to warn the public against fraud when buying concert tickets online.
The campaign, entitled ‘#SCAM or not?’, uses videos on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to highlight how scammers target concertgoers.
Although no detailed statistics are provided, the police emphasise that Belgium hosts numerous events every year, making fraudulent activity a growing concern. With the country’s reputation for music festivals and popular venues, tickets are highly sought after, increasing the risk of scams.
Ticketmaster has reported frequent cases of victims purchasing invalid tickets. These are either counterfeit or previously used, leaving fans unable to enter events despite having paid for admission.
Scammers often operate through fraudulent websites, offering tickets at inflated or suspiciously low prices. The police urge consumers to purchase tickets only from official sites, avoid clicking on links, and navigate directly to trusted platforms to prevent phishing attempts.
Caution is particularly advised with tickets purchased through resale, such as on Facebook. The police recommend verifying the seller’s profile, requesting to see the physical ticket, and exercising caution if a seller declines to provide proof or pressures for immediate payment.
Fraud has also been flagged on platforms such as ViaGoGo, where the same ticket may be sold multiple times, rendering it invalid. Concert venue AB has criticised the lack of oversight on the platform.
The police suggest using trusted resale platforms like TicketSwap and always accessing them via their official websites.
Victims of ticket fraud can report incidents on consumerconnect.be, the website of Belgium’s Federal Economic Affairs Department.
If payment has just been made, victims can also attempt to block the transaction through their bank.
