The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has published advice for people planning to buy tickets for events online but were worried about scams.
In a statement, the ACSC said official event organisers had a strong online presence.
“Unfortunately so do scammers, who often take advantage of major events where tickets are hard to buy or sell out quickly, as an opportunity to sell fake tickets,” the ACSC said.
It said to ensure patrons were buying from an authorised seller and not a scammer they should visit the official event website or social media pages.
“Look for authorised sellers and whether tickets are still available,” the Centre said.
“A site that lacks this information as well as general contact details can be a red flag that it’s a scam,” it said.
“Usually you can sign up to email updates from the official promoter, or follow the venue or event’s social media pages, to be kept updated if new ticket allocations become available at a later date.”
People who were unsure whether a site was genuine from a browser search or message should hover over the link with their cursor to see the actual web address it would take them to.
“If you do not recognise or trust the address, steer clear,” the ACSC said.
In addition, a request for an unusual payment method, such as by bank transfer, gift card, or crypto-currencies was the sign of a scam — “and you’re unlikely to recover your money if you pay by these means”.
“Instead, use secure payment methods like PayPal, BPay or your credit card as there are often dispute resolution processes if things go pear-shaped,” the Centre said.
