According to data analysed by Lloyds Bank, Oasis fans who fell for scams during the band’s ticketing sales lost an average of £346.
The high-street bank analysed its own data to uncover the figure after it said fans who tried to buy tickets for the band’s reunion tour fell victim to a “landslide” of scams. According to Lloyds, most scams also started with posts on social media or fake adverts, which lured fans in and directed them to purchase fake tickets.
The research, which analysed scam reports between August 27th and September 25th, found that hundreds of people fell for the scams during that time frame, with the number expected to be much higher now.
The report states that scams across that period accounted for around 70 per cent of Oasis fans, with Lloyds reporting an average of £346 lost, though some lost up to £1,000, per The Guardian. Most of the scams are related to fans aged 25 to 44-year-old, with the majority of the adverts appearing on Facebook, despite Meta clarifying it remains “committed to protecting our users from fraudulent activities.”
According to a Lloyds spokesperson, the scams occurred “despite Meta’s own commerce policy stating that the sale of concert tickets is ‘not allowed’ on the platform,” likely due to the immense demand of securing tickets and how much fans were willing to spend on them if it meant securing a place at the coveted tour.
How have Oasis combatted scammers?
When Oasis tickets went on sale back in August, over ten million fans worldwide joined the online queues despite only 1.4 million tickets being available. While this means it sold out incredibly fast, determined fans remained on the hunt for people and organisations re-selling tickets on alternative websites and social media.
To control inflated pricing and potential scams, Oasis issued a statement announcing they had partnered with Twickets and instructed fans not to buy from secondary sellers. “Please note, Oasis Live ‘25 tickets can only be resold at face value via Ticketmaster and Twickets!” They wrote, adding, “Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters.”
Following the rise in raised prices and online scams, the government also pledged to enact a consultation into touting and Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing.” However, many have criticised the government and Oasis’ approach to a longstanding issue, claiming scams and ticket touting is a deep-seated issue that needs to be taken more seriously.
According to O2, to combat the issue, the industry needs better legislation against the sale of tickets for significant profits, clearer information during the sale process on resale platforms, and clear identification of resale platforms on search engines.
