The average financial loss from concert ticket scams has halved this year, according to new research from Surfshark, which says that scams reported to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) indicate potential concertgoers lost $303 – compared to $606 in 2024.
From 2020 to 2025, the overall average loss was $672.
The most common platform for concert ticket fraud is fraudulent websites, the report says. Social media platforms are also frequently used, with Facebook representing 28% of cases. Other platforms where users encounter ticket scams include X (formerly Twitter) at 12%, Craigslist at 9%, Instagram at 8%, and TikTok at 3%.
“When buying tickets from individuals – whether through platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace with buyer protection, or directly through social media there are several red flags to watch for,” says Miguel Fornes, cybersecurity expert at Surfshark. “These include new or recently created accounts with minimal posting history, limited or no previous sales activity, prices that seem too good to be true, urgency tactics like ‘just one ticket left’, generic or stock profile photos, vague or evasive communication, refusal to provide additional verification such as a video chat, and no mutual connections or references from past buyers.”