Whether it’s Bestival, the Premier League kick-off or catching the latest comedian on tour, millions of sport, music and entertainment loversfrom across the globe will already have their tickets ready for their main event to take centre stage.

But as excitement builds ahead of a variety of showpiece events, the last thing people want to be worrying about is if their ticket is authentic or not.

It’s something that can happen to anyone because ticket fraudsters are using sophisticated methods to scam people, particularly through online channels such as social media and fake websites.

In 2015 alone, online ticket fraud rose by 55%[i] costing £5.2 million to the UK public.

Meanwhile, Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud, found that 21,000 people have been victim to ticket fraudsters throughout the last three years – with many especially being duped via social media and independent ticket websites[ii].

Ian Forster, Sales Director at Adare SEC– which produced 70 million tickets last year alone for the likes of Premier League football clubs, Ticketmaster and top-level entertainment venues – has four pointers to help people from becoming a victim of ticketing fraud.

Do your research

Buy your tickets or check ticket availability with an official agent or reputable ticket supplier. If you are in doubt, check the website of the festival, sports match or entertainment event for more information about their official vendor.

Cheap might not be cheerful

Avoid buying from secondary ticket sellers or tickets on social media. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. If you are engaging with unofficial sellers, you should always research the seller or company thoroughly online.

Protect yourself online

Only pay via encrypted payment facilities. Look for the padlock in the address bar of the website you are using and make sure it’s secure.

Don’t share on social media

If you are in possession of genuine festival or concert tickets, avoid posting pictures of them online. This is a hunting ground for fraudsters to copy your genuine tickets and if that happens, yours could become useless despite being authentic.

Adare SEC, a leading provider of technology-led, paper-based and electronic communication solutions, is one of only four UK printers able to securely manufacture in-house.

The Secure and Essential Communication Solution specialists, based in Huddersfield, Redditch, Nottingham and Guildford, has over 20 years’ experience in thermal ticket printing and is trusted by leading sports clubs where they print matchday tickets for several Premier League teams as well as concert, theatre and leisure venues.

Adare SEC prints millions of tickets each year which include several security features to combat scammers such as:

Registered Hologram

Holograms are design elements with changing optical images which provide an attractive and cost-effective way to add security and enhance a product. 

Copyvoid

In security printing, void pantograph refers to a method of making copy-evident and tamper-resistant patterns in the background of a document. Normally these are invisible to the eye but become obvious when the document is photocopied. 

Thermochromic Ink

Ink disappears or changes colour when heat is applied. Inks can be made bespoke to create a unique effect. 

Microtext

A minute font size viewable only through a magnifying glass. If copied, the text will blur, rendering it unrecognisable. 

Watermarked Thermal Paper

Easily identified when held up to the light, but not easily replicated. Fibres within the paper provide visual identification of authenticity.

[i]New figures from the City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Get Safe Online

[ii]https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/advice/online-crime-safety/online-fraud/online-fraud/ticket-fraud