How to avoid ticketing scams ahead of Taylor Swift ticket release

Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour," Friday, May 5, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Tickets for Taylor Swift's critically acclaimed Era's Tour go on general sale for Irish fans this Thursday, July 20.

The Anti-Hero singer will be gracing the stage at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Friday, June 28, and Saturday, June 29, 2024 as well as a new date on Sunday, June 30. 

It has been reported that approximately 500,000 fans have registered to purchase tickets to the Shake It Off singer's Dublin shows. However, there will only be room for 195,000 concert-goers over the course of her three nights, as the Aviva Stadium only has a capacity of 65,000 for live music events.

This means that the thousands of Swifties scrambling to secure a ticket will need to be wary of ticketing scams.

According to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), when buying tickets, either in person or online, "consumers should be absolutely certain that the seller is genuine". In order to do this, the CCPC recommends "buying from an official source".

Taylor Swift performing at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, last March. (Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

It advises consumers to check with the organiser, promoter or venue when and where you can buy tickets.  It said: "Tickets are generally only sold through a limited number of official channels. Before you buy, read reviews of the website to see if other people have had a bad experience with them — a quick Google search can tell you a lot."

It also recommends checking where the company's office is and if they have a physical address and landline number, not a PO box or a mobile number.

According to the CCPC, you should "never pay for a ticket by cash or money transfer" as you will not be able to recall or trace this payment if you run into problems. It said: "Use a credit or debit card instead, as this gives you the option of requesting a chargeback if things go wrong."

Taylor Swift will be gracing the stage at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Friday, June 28, and Saturday, June 29, 2024 as well as a new date on Sunday, June 30. Photo: Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP

Before you buy a second-hand ticket, the CCPC recommends that you check the official ticketing site for the event you are going to and see if people are allowed to resell tickets. 

"If they are not, you may be refused entry even if you have bought a legitimate ticket. Be very wary about buying tickets on social media or through classified ads," it said.

If you think you may have fallen victim to a scam or fraud and have given someone your bank or card details, contact your bank or card provider immediately so they can advise you and if necessary, put a hold on your account, cancel your cards or carry out additional security when issuing payments and transfers from your account. 

You should also contact your local Garda station.

According to the CCPC, here are the best ways to spot a ticketing scam:

Low-priced tickets

If it seems too good to be true it probably is. If a ticket is being sold at a much lower price be wary, it could be a fake.

The event is sold out

Official sites say that the tickets are gone yet the site that you have just visited is telling you that there are tickets available. There is a very good chance that the site is fake.

Details about the company are missing

You may find that the ‘About us’ section of the site is missing. This normally tells you about the company and where they are registered. You may also find important details such as an address or contact number aren’t on the website.

Tickets are ‘available’ before they go on sale

If a site is advertising tickets for sale before other official sites are selling them then you are more than likely dealing with a fake site.

No ‘s’ after http or padlock symbol

If you are asked to enter your credit card details and are redirected to another site you should see an ‘s’ after ‘http’ at the beginning of the website's URL and a padlock symbol in your browser’s task bar, at the bottom of the page. If it isn’t there, be very wary of proceeding any further.

Pricing 

On Friday, July 14, pre-sale tickets went on sale for anyone who had bought a copy of Swift's 'Midnights' album.

This presale gave fans an insight into ticket prices for the Dublin concerts. General seating is priced from €86 to €206. General standing ranges from €126 to €206 to stand in the areas directly in front of the stage. 

Ticket packages start at €371.28 for the We Never Go Out of Style package and up to €743.62 for those availing of the Karma Is My Boyfriend package.

Swift’s tour has been subject to a more complicated ticket sale process than is the norm for gigs here. 

Would-be concert-goers first had to register their interest with Ticketmaster for access to ticket sales, with those who applied learning via email last week whether they would get an access code for the general sale or if they were placed on a waiting list. 

Those lucky access code-holders will vie for tickets on Thursday in the general sale.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is her first tour since Croke Park in 2018, and it has been acclaimed for its stellar production. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

If you have been selected to receive an access code, you can expect a purchase link and access code by text the afternoon before tickets go on sale — Wednesday, July 19.

According to Ticketmaster, you will receive an email and two SMS messages which will include timing details and a link to where the on sale will occur, along with your unique access code. This code cannot be shared or passed on to anyone else.

Thursday, July 20, 11am: Tickets for Friday, June 28 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium go on sale.

Thursday, July 20, 1pm: Tickets for Saturday, June 29 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium go on sale.

Thursday, July 20, 3pm: Tickets for Sunday, June 30 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium go on sale.

The Eras Tour is Swift’s first tour since Croke Park in 2018, and it has been acclaimed for its stellar production. The concept is all about exploring Swift’s 17 years of music, running through hit after hit from her various “eras”.

Expect an extravaganza of nostalgia, bejeweled costumes and if the US shows are anything to go by — a dive off-stage into a holographic swimming pool.

Swift has also announced that her support act for the gigs will be Paramore. A five-star review of the tour’s opening night in Glendale, Arizona, was described by the Guardian as “indisputably epic”.