The UK Government and O2 have teamed up to urge the public to Stop! Think Fraud and to always use official ticketing websites.
It comes as new research by O2 reveals the amount lost to ticket fraud in the last year reached £150 million.
Data suggests that more than one in 10 (14%) gig-goers surveyed have bought a fake ticket, with more than three-quarters (77%) of the tickets bought via online platforms.
The polling found that no age group was immune to these scams, but those aged 18 to 24 faced the highest risk with 31% been sold a fake ticket compared to 4% of those aged 55+.
The UK Government delivered £250 million of investment to crackdown on fraud and protect the public earlier this year as part of a new Fraud strategy. It established a new Online Crime Centre to bring together police and industry to disrupt scams at source and boost support for victims.
As part of this national intervention, the Stop! Think Fraud campaign aims to make it easier for the public to recognise fraud and take steps to protect themselves, their family and friends.
O2, which sponsors 21 venues across the UK and sold more than 1.7 million tickets via Priority Tickets last year, has campaigned alongside FanFair Alliance since 2017 for a fairer and more transparent ticketing market.
Last year O2 launched Stamp It Tout, an online hub designed to help music fans navigate the resale market safely and avoid being ripped off by ticket touts and scammers.
Plans have been announced to make it illegal for tickets to live events to be resold for more than their original cost.
Director, Partnerships and Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, Gareth Griffiths, said:
“Ticketing scams are a blight on the UK's live music industry, and it's heartbreaking to see so many fans being targeted. Seeing your favourite artist live should be an exciting experience, not one that leaves you out of pocket or turned away at the door. That's why O2 is encouraging fans to stay vigilant, buy tickets only from official authorised services and use capped fan-to-fan resale platforms when a show is sold out.”
