Lloyds Banking Group based the calculation on the volume of fraud reports made by its own customers and found that Oasis fans make up more than half of all reported concert ticket scams so far this year
Oasis devotees have been swindled out of more than £2million since tickets for the band’s eagerly anticipated reunion tour went on sale last year, according to estimates from a leading bank.
Meanwhile, people have been left fuming over Ticketmaster cancelling tickets, and the dynamic pricing that was used when the tickets went up for sale.
Lloyds Banking Group arrived at this figure based on the number of fraud reports lodged by its own clientele. More than half (56%) of all reported gig ticket scams this year have been made by Oasis fans, Lloyds’ data reveals, with victims losing an average of £436.
The largest sum lost in a single instance so far exceeded £1,700, indicating that many fans are prepared to fork out well above the ticket’s face value, the bank noted. The average loss to fraudsters posing as Oasis ticket sellers is roughly £200 more than the typical concert ticket scam loss, it further added.
Individuals aged between 35 and 44 are most susceptible to being conned, accounting for almost a third (30%) of all cases, Lloyds’ reports suggest.
Edinburgh, Warrington and Manchester have the highest numbers of scam victims, with the top 10 locations overall constituting a quarter (25%) of cases, the banking group stated.
The bank discovered more than 1,000 cases reported to it since the mad dash for tickets began last summer. Based on its customer base, it projects that there have likely been at least 5,000 victims across the UK since tickets were released, with over £2 million pocketed by fraudsters.
Lloyds Banking Group has issued a stark warning to concert-goers after uncovering a spate of ticket purchase scams involving fake Oasis tour tickets, with reports coming from customers of Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland between August 2024 and March 2025.
The bank is flagging up dodgy unofficial social media groups that are popping up to flog tickets for the much-anticipated Oasis tour. These purchase scams dupe fans into transferring dosh for non-existent goods or services.
According to Lloyds, these ticket cons typically involve phony adverts, posts, or listings on social media platforms, tempting fans with cut-price tickets or access to sold-out events at eye-watering prices.
Scammers prey on desperate fans by falsely claiming they’ve got their hands on hard-to-get tickets, only to do a runner with the cash once it’s been paid upfront.
The swindles tend to strike in two waves: first when tickets initially go on sale and then again as the event date looms closer.
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, has spoken out: “The Oasis tour is the latest target for ticket scammers, with millions of pounds of fans’ money stolen before the gigs even kick off.”
She also highlighted the role of social media in these scams, stressing: “The fact that so many cases start with fake listings on social media, often in violation of the platforms’ own rules, underscores the importance of these companies taking stronger action to tackle scams.
“It’s vital that consumers feel empowered to shop safely online. Buying directly from reputable, authorised retailers is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a genuine ticket.
“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.”
Edinburgh tops the chart as the number one hotspot for folks who’ve been duped by Oasis ticket scams, Lloyds Banking Group reports. The list of cities with residents most likely to fall prey includes:.
- Edinburgh.
- Warrington.
- Manchester.
- Newcastle upon Tyne.
- Sheffield.
- Glasgow.
- Nottingham.
- Birmingham.
- Plymouth.
- Newport (South Wales).
Lloyds has also dished out some savvy advice for snagging tickets without getting scammed:
- Stick to trusted retailers: Always go for tickets from official, well-known outlets and give third-party sellers the swerve.
- Be careful on social media: Scammers are all over fake ads, even nicking images of legit tickets to con you.
- If it looks too good to be true, it probably is: A dirt-cheap ticket or one for a gig that’s sold out? Smells fishy. Think twice if the deal seems dodgy.
Lisa Webb, Which? Consumer Law Expert, said: “Scammers are always looking for new ways to part people from their hard-earned cash and unfortunately, Oasis tickets being in such high demand has created a perfect storm for criminals. Fans of the band have already been subject to potentially unlawful pricing practices by Ticketmaster, now they are being exposed to all sorts of fake adverts, posts and listings on social media where criminals are hoping to trick them into purchasing tickets that don’t exist. At this point, it’s safest to assume that any Oasis tickets being advertised on social media are fake. If you spot any suspicious posts, you can report them to the social media platform and the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
