One of the most stressful parts of buying concert tickets on resale sites is the risk of getting scammed. Whether you’re attending a once-in-a-lifetime tour like The Eras Tour or a bucket-list show, you’re likely spending more than expected… and no one wants their hard-earned money to go to waste. Here are 10 tips to avoid concert ticket scams from someone who has attended over 1,000 concerts!
While there’s always a risk with resale, these tips will help protect you while avoiding getting scammed by online sellers.
10 tips for avoiding scams when buying resale concert tickets
These 10 concert ticket resale tips are tried and true methods we’ve personally used to ensure valid resale tickets. There’s also an FAQ section in the comments with more insights.
1. Use a Credit Card, Not a Debit Card
Most credit cards offer solid purchase protection. If you’re charged for a ticket that turns out to be fake (one of the most common concert ticket scams), you’ll likely be able to file a dispute or get reimbursed as a fraudulent transaction. Debit cards don’t offer the same protection, so avoid using them when purchasing high-value tickets.
2. Buy from Reputable Resale Platforms
Stick with verified ticket resale sites like TickPick, Gametime, Cash or Trade, SeatGeek, or VividSeats. These companies have built-in protections, guarantees, and vetting processes to help prevent fraud.
StubHub and Viagogo are two resellers (StubHub owns Viagogo) that I tend to avoid purchasing from far in advance after experiencing concert ticket scams a few too many times from them. That being said, if this is your only option, just know that there’s a risk your ticket will not be valid the day of and you will eventually get your money back.
Avoid buying from Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or individuals you don’t personally know. Concert tickets are extremely easy to counterfeit, and it’s often impossible to verify legitimacy until it’s too late.
💡 If you do buy from a private seller, use PayPal Goods & Services—not Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal Friends & Family. The 3% seller fee gives you buyer protection and peace of mind.
3. Check the Website URL Carefully
Always double-check that you’re on the real ticket site before entering your payment details. Concert ticket scams can involve creating convincing fake websites with URLs like stubhubticketsnow.com instead of stubhub.com
Look for the padlock icon in the browser bar and verify the official spelling of the resale platform.
4. Opt for Mobile Tickets When Possible
Many venues now use mobile ticketing only, especially for large stadium and arena events. These digital tickets are harder to duplicate and more secure for buyers and sellers alike.
If someone tries to sell you a physical ticket when the venue only accepts mobile tickets, that’s a red flag.
5. Trust Your Gut
If a floor seat is listed for $50 and all others are going for $300+, it’s probably not real. If a deal seems too good to be true… it usually is, especially if it’s months in advance.
That said, some apps like Gametime do offer last-minute deals that are legitimate. For a lot of shows, ticket prices often plummet in the final hours before the concert. We’ve scored great seats to major concerts for a fraction of the original price this way.
6. Understand International Ticketing Rules
If you’re attending a concert abroad, be aware that transfer rules vary by country and venue. Some events may require the original cardholder to attend, or may issue non-transferable PDF tickets, which opens the door to more fraud risk when buying privately.
Whenever possible, wait for official guidance on ticket transferability in your destination before buying resale tickets, especially from individuals.
I talk about this in more detail in our TikTok video about determining your concert ticket validity here:
7. Best Time to Buy Resale Tickets
Resale ticket prices tend to peak right after a show sells out due to hype and FOMO. But if you wait a few weeks (or even days before the show) prices often come down.
Here are some of the best times to score a resale concert ticket:
- 2–3 days before the concert
- The day of the show
- Right after the artist takes the stage
If you’re flexible and a little adventurous, this strategy can save you hundreds.
Tip: Set a target price in your head and monitor listings over time. What would you be happy to pay for this show? Track tickets until you see something close.
8. Why Do People Resell Concert Tickets?
Not all resellers are scalpers. Life happens, and people sell tickets for lots of valid reasons:
- Pregnancy or parenting conflicts
- Financial hardship
- Breakups or changed plans
- They found better seats
- They moved or can’t travel to the venue
- Injury or illness
Most of the best resale deals come from real fans who simply can’t make it.
9. Watch the Trends in Your City
Ticket pricing trends vary by location. Some cities see resale prices climb the day of the show, while others drop dramatically. Use apps like Gametime, TickPick, or SeatGeek to monitor pricing patterns in your concert city.
10. Go to the Concert Solo
It’s often easier to secure a last-minute single ticket than getting tickets for a group. We have a whole blog on tips for going to a concert alone as well one of our favorite solo concert experiences in other blogs if you want more tips on feeling confident on snagging that single ticket last second!
Buying concert tickets on resale sites can be stressful, but with the right strategies, it doesn’t have to be a gamble. Use trusted platforms, verify URLs, and always use a protected payment method. With a little patience and caution, you can find real tickets at fair prices and enjoy the show you’ve been looking forward to.
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There’s an FAQ section below based on our most common questions we get across all of our channels that can help you even more for your next show!
FAQ: Concert Tips Edition
Is StubHub safe and trustworthy?
StubHub will guarantee you a ticket or money back, but they do not do a great job of screening ticket sellers for validity. For high demand shows, I would avoid using StubHub unless it is your very last option.
I share our negative StubHub story, which is all-too-common for people, on our TikTok if you want to get more details:
How to know if Viagogo tickets are legit?
Viagogo is owned by StubHub but tends to be more popular in Europe. It operates similarly to StubHub in that you receive a ticket or your money back.
Like StubHub, I wouldn’t use it for high demand shows far in advance. But it’s a solid option for last-minute tickets or smaller shows.
Is it weird to go to a concert alone?
Not at all! Going to a concert alone can be the best live music experience of your life! We’ve met some of our closest friends when we were attending a show solo.
Here’s a blog all about tips for attending a concert alone for the first time as well as a story of how I gave and received free tickets to The Eras Tour all because of a Swiftie attending the concert solo.
Where can I find more concert tips?
We have a whole section on our blog dedicated to live music events and concert tips as well as a playlist on YouTube that focuses on concert tips depending on which event you’re attending.
There is a list of concert essentials in our Amazon store with items we like to bring to every show. You don’t have to buy the items on Amazon, but the list will at least give you a starting point for what you want to include in your concert bag!
How do I know if someone is selling me a real concert ticket?
The easiest way to tell if someone is selling you a real concert ticket is to ask if they will accept PayPal Goods & Services. If the answer is no, they’re likely a scammer.
Why is this the case? PayPal Goods & Services charges a small fee in order to protect both the buyer and seller from fraudulent transactions. If a seller isn’t willing to accept this as a form of payment, it means they are more likely trying to commit a fraudulent transaction.
Do screen recordings prove a concert ticket is real?
Screen recordings aren’t proof of a real concert ticket because they can be easily faked with today’s technology.
Common concert ticket scams offer a screen recording as “proof” that a seller owns the ticket in a private sale. These are SO easily faked or stolen from real ticket holders and can’t be trusted. In fact, if someone is pushing you to accept it as proof, they’re likely a scammer.
What are the best places to sell tickets online?
Cash or Trade, TickPick, Gametime, Fan-to-Fan Marketplaces (not always available) and using your personal connections are the best ways to sell your concert tickets online.
Cash or Trade is truly a platform for fans. You sell your ticket at face value, and a fellow fan gets to experience the concert you can no longer attend. You will need to communicate a little bit with your buyer, but this means you’ll also be able to trade your tickets for another show if that works out better for you both!
TickPick is secure and includes fees in the sale price online. I prefer this to platforms like StubHub because of the price transparency. They also tend to be faster with customer service on both the seller and buyer side of things when needed. This platform is not available in the EU (yet) due to scalping limitations.
Gametime is great for last-second ticket sales. You upload your ticket to the platform so that it’s automatically transferred to the buyer with minimal effort on the seller’s end. It works well for concert tickets, sporting events, and truly anything that has a mobile ticket option.
Using your personal network to sell tickets to people you trust is also a great way to help a fan out and recoop the cost of your concert ticket. Make sure you trust the person fully and unless they’re an extremely close friend, still use PayPal Goods & Services for the transaction.
The best option to ensure 100% confidence in the sale, purchase, and transferability of your concert ticket while avoiding concert ticket scams is to use a Fan-to-Fan Marketplace when available.
What is a Fan-to-Fan Marketplace for concerts?
Fan-to-Fan Marketplaces are hosted by the original ticket vendor. These allow fans to list their tickets for sale to be purchased by another fan directly through the ticket distributor.
The seller and buyer don’t need to communicate, ticket prices are usually capped at 10% above face value (or face value only), and both parties get the most secure and guaranteed transaction. This is the safest way to sell a ticket to a concert that you can no longer attend, but this service is not offered for all shows. It’s more popular for EU concerts and US like Country Thunder.
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