THE HON STEPHEN JONES MP

ASSISTANT TREASURER

MINISTER FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES

MEMBER FOR WHITLAM

MEDIA RELEASE

Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones is reminding Illawarra and Southern Highlands locals looking to secure last minute tickets to Taylor Swift’s Sydney leg of ‘The Eras Tour’ to be vigilant of fake ticket scams on social media.

According to the National Anti-Scam Centre established by the Albanese Government, there’s been a spike in reports of scammers using fake social media accounts to trick people into paying for fake tickets.

Scamwatch has received over 270 reports of people being scammed purchasing ‘The Eras Tour’ tickets via social media since tickets went on sale in Australia in June 2023. Losses to this scam total $135,000, with reports most prevalent in New South Wales (114 reports, $54,645 lost) and Victoria (96 reports, $53,607 lost), where Swift is performing.

How the scam works:

• You’re contacted by a friend on social media or see a post by a friend or someone you know and trust on a community page selling tickets to a Taylor Swift concert.
• The social media post or message includes a story about why the person can’t go to the concert and is offering to sell the tickets “at cost”.
• The scammer may ask you to pay an additional fee related to changing the ticket to your name.
• Scammers may try and rush you to purchase the tickets and transfer money by referring to the high demand for the tickets.
• Once paid for, you’re left without the ticket to the concert and no further contact, only to find out that your friend or acquaintance’s social media profile has been hacked.

Top tips to avoid a scam:

• Stop – take your time before giving money or personal information. Scammers will create a sense of urgency – they might even tell you they have other interested buyers. Don’t rush to act.
• Think – ask yourself if you really know who you are communicating with? Could the social media post or message be fake? Could your friends account be hacked?
• Protect – act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank and help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch.

What to do if you have been scammed:

• If you have lost money, contact your bank immediately;
• Contact IDCare on 1800 595 160 if you have provided identity documents to the scammer;
• Report scams to the National Anti‑Scam Centre
• People who experiencing financial hardship can speak with a financial counsellor through the National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007 or access live chat via their website

Quotes attributable to Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones:

“With the sold-out Eras Tour kicking off in Sydney from tomorrow, scammers will no doubt be ready to pounce as locals try to secure last-minute tickets.

“Always look for secure payment options rather than providing your credit card details to a seller. Remember, if it looks to good to be true – it probably is.

“The Albanese Government is committed to taking on scammers and protecting Australians. Through our National Anti‑Scam Centre, reported scam losses have dropped by 29 per cent in the space of 6 months. But it’s important we remain vigilant and keep working to fight these criminals.”

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