Concertgoers urged not to patronize illegitimate ticket platforms

A group advocating consumer protection on Tuesday discouraged the public from buying concert tickets from scalpers, in light of the alleged online scammer that victimized local Taylor Swift fans who wanted to watch her concert in Singapore.

Jocel de Guzman, co-founder of Scam Watch Philippines, advised consumers to transact only through official ticketing platforms.

“Punta po tayo sa legit. Doon po naproprotektahan ang consumers,” De Guzman told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita in an interview. 

“Huwag po tayong lumabas doon sa official legitimate ticketing platform kapag concert kasi hindi po natin kayang i-identify kung makikita lang ito sa social media,” he added.

(Let’s purchase only from legit platforms. That’s where consumers are protected. Do not transact outside of official legitimate ticketing platform for concert tickets because we can’t identify the scammer if they are only seen on social media.)

Recently, over 100 local Taylor Swift fans reported that they collectively lost some P15 million after being scammed by someone who pretended to be selling tickets for Swift’s “The Eras Tour” concert in Singapore.

De Guzman said the incident can be considered as a case of online scalping regardless of the intent of the suspected scammer.

“Kapag sinabi mong online scalping, lumalabas ka na doon sa proseso ng noong pagbili ng ticket kasi ‘yung ticket ngayon hindi na siya physical so it’s more of digital na,” he said. 

(Online scalping means you are not undergoing the legitimate process of buying a ticket because the ticket is not physical anymore so it’s more of digital.)

De Guzman said some concert goers resorted to buying tickets from scalpers because the show is already sold-out. —KBK, GMA Integrated News