Victims of ticket fraud in Suffolk lose nearly £40k in 2023

New data reveals almost £6.7million was lost to ticket scams in the UK last year, with more than 8,700 people reporting they had been a victim of ticket fraud nationally. 

In Suffolk, 53 people reported they had been a victim with a total of £39,433 lost to ticket fraud. 

It works out to an average loss of £744 per report in the county. 

READ MORE: Cybercrime in Suffolk more than triples new figures show

Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, has launched a ticket fraud awareness campaign, warning people to be alert to fraudsters trying to catch out those planning for popular and sold-out events. 

People are being warned of fraud tickets for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Image: PA Wire)

The warning is ahead of the Glastonbury Festival ticket resale and other top events, including Taylor Swift's sold-out Eras tour at Wembley Stadium. 

Head of Action Fraud, Pauline Smith, said: "We all want to enjoy summer, but that doesn't stop fraudsters from taking the fun out of things we look forward to doing. 

"Too many people are losing out to fraudulent activity or genuine looking phishing messages.

"Mae sure you don't get ticked off - recognise the signs of ticket fraud before getting caught out and be wary of unsolicited messages offering deals too good to be true."

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The advice to protect yourself from ticket fraud includes only buying tickets from the venue's box office, avoiding paying for tickets by bank transfer, being wary of unsolicited messages and emails, and checking to see if the vendor is a member of Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR).

Jonathan Brown, chief executive of STAR, said: "Buying from a STAR member means you are buying from an authorised ticket supplier signed up to a strict code of practice."