Sian Williams eagerly accepted an offer for Taylor Swift concert tickets, only to realize she had been scammed out of £250 within seconds of transferring the money. Despite believing she was buying from a trustworthy mutual friend, Sian fell victim to a sophisticated online con. Consumer watchdogs are issuing warnings to others about similar scams.

Sian had promised her daughter Efa tickets to Swift’s The Eras Tour after her A-level exams. Missing out on official ticket sales, she was directed to someone claiming to have tickets for the Liverpool date. They asked for £500 for four tickets, but Sian’s bank account setup only allowed transfers of up to £250 at a time. Sensing something was wrong, they refused to pay the second installment and contacted their bank, which launched an investigation.

Sian Williams and her daughter Efa were left £250 out of pocket

Feeling deceived, Sian emphasized the importance of caution in online transactions. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Indigo Jones discovered her social media accounts had been hacked to promote fake tickets. She emphasized the guilt and helplessness she felt, urging others to be vigilant.

Emily Seymour from Which? described such ticket scams as common, targeting those desperate to attend big events. She advised taking a moment to verify sellers and recommended reporting fraud to the bank or authorities promptly.

The takeaway: avoid bank transfers for payments, as they are difficult to retrieve in case of scams.