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Lloyds Bank has estimated that Taylor Swift fans in the UK have lost an estimated £1m ($1.2m/€1.1m) in scams while attempting to secure tickets to the artist’s Eras Tour.
A report from the bank said that more than 600 of its customers had come forward to report being scammed, losing an average of £332 each while some lost £1,000.
It added that 90% of the reported scams started on social media site Facebook and that fans aged between 25 and 34 were most likely to be targeted.
Swift is preparing to embark on the first European dates of her tour, beginning in Paris on May 9 before performing in Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Austria this summer.
“For her legion of dedicated Swifties, the excitement is building ahead of Taylor’s Eras Tour finally touching down in the UK this summer,” said Lloyds Bank fraud prevention director Liz Ziegler.
“However cruel fraudsters have wasted no time in targeting her most loyal fans as they rush to pick up tickets for her must-see concerts.
“It’s easy to let our emotions get the better of us when we find out our favourite artist is going to be performing live, but it’s important not to let those feelings cloud your judgement when trying to get hold of tickets.
“Buying directly from reputable, authorised platforms is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a genuine ticket. Even then, always pay by debit or credit card for the greatest protection.
“If you’re being asked to pay by bank transfer, particularly from a seller you’ve found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing.”
Lloyds said that fans of other major artists such as Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Coldplay were also targeted last summer.
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