57 Hongkongers lose HK$420,000 in online concert ticket scams within 1 week
- Victims were tricked into buying concert tickets that they never received, police say
Fifty-seven Hongkongers fell victim to concert ticket scams in a single week, with losses totalling HK$420,000 (US$53,786), police warned on Friday.
The spate of swindles prompted the force to remind residents to exercise caution while shopping using online platforms and urged the public to purchase tickets through official channels.
“If you choose to buy from non-official sources, please be cautious and verify the authenticity of the sellers and the tickets,” police said on their CyberDefender Facebook page.
With several South Korean pop idol groups and local singers set to hold concerts in the city during the summer, scammers were taking advantage of fans’ eagerness and falsely claiming on social media platforms and auction websites they had “insider access” to tickets, the force warned.
“They lure fans who were unable to purchase tickets into buying from them,” police said. “Once they receive the money, they are unreachable.”
Police said more than HK$420,000 was lost in the 57 cases related to the purchase of concert tickets last week.
The victims fell prey to the scams after they responded to posts left by fraudsters on various social media platforms, the force added.
