With K-Pop stars holding Singapore concerts, police share tips on avoiding ticket scams
With several highly anticipated K-Pop concerts taking place over next few months, police have advised members of the public to be wary of online ticket scams.
At least 85 reports of e-commerce scams involving the sale of concert tickets were made between January and June this year, said the police in a news release on Monday (15 October).
Some victims did not receive the tickets they purchased, while others were sent fake or invalid tickets after payments were made.
With K-Pop star IU holding her 10th Anniversary Tour show at The Star Theatre on 15 December and boy band sensation BTS due to perform at the National Stadium on 19 January, the police have advised members of the public to be extra cautious when making ticket purchases for these shows.
Ticket prices for the IU concert range from $148 to $268, while the BTS concert ticket prices have yet to be announced.
How to avoid being scammed
Buyers should be wary of online advertisements for cheap tickets, and to read the reviews of the seller before committing to a purchase. They should also not fall for scammers using local bank accounts or providing a copy of an NRIC/driver’s licence to make buyers believer they are genuine sellers.
Finally, buyers should avoid making advanced payments or deposits. They should use e-shopping platforms that release payments to sellers only upon receipt of the purchased items, or arrange to meet sellers and pay them only after collecting their tickets.
Police also advised members of the public to buy tickets from only authorised sellers, as tickets from unauthorised ones may still be invalid upon entry.
The public may call the National Crime Prevention Council’s anti-scam helpline at 1800-7226688 or go to www.scamalert.sg for more advice.
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