Concert and event ticket resale scams
Scammers post sold-out concert and game tickets on social media at low prices. They insist on payment methods with no buyer protection and pressure you to pay fast before "other buyers" do.
How this scam works
The tickets do not exist or have already been sold to many people. Once you pay, the seller disappears or blocks you.
Common versions of the message
- Sold-out seats at a low price
- Friends-and-family payments only
- Many other buyers waiting
What the message looks like
Text from Taylor (resale)
I have 2 floor tickets for the sold-out show, $150 each because I cannot go anymore. Pay with Zelle or Cash App friends and family only, no PayPal goods. First to pay gets them, I have 5 people asking.
Fictional example based on common, publicly reported scam patterns.
The red flags
- 1
Too good to be true: “$150 each”
Sold-out floor seats cost far more
Sold-out tickets rarely sell below face value.
- 2
No buyer protection: “friends and family only”
They avoid payments you can dispute
Friends-and-family payments have no buyer protection. That is why scammers ask for them.
- 3
Fake demand: “I have 5 people asking”
Pressure so you pay fast
Claims of other buyers waiting are there to rush you.
What to do
- Buy through the official ticket site or a resale platform with buyer protection.
- Pay by credit card when you can, so you can dispute the charge.
- Do not pay a stranger through Zelle, Cash App, or friends-and-family PayPal.
If you already replied, clicked, or paid
- If you paid, contact the payment app and your bank right away.
- Report the seller to the social media platform.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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