Taylor Swift fans eager to get tickets for her 2024 Eras Tour have been urged to be on the lookout for scammers taking advantage of “phenomenal demand” for shows.

Fans who signed up last week will know on July 5 if they’ve been randomly selected to receive a much sought-after pre-sale code that gives them access to ticket sales for the Kingdom dates. Brother of the US superstar in June, July and August next year.

But an email on Wednesday informed them that more performances had been added to the tour due to “great demand” and that they would know by midnight on July 14 if they were selected to sell tickets or be brought in. on the waiting list.

As fan anxiety peaks ahead of the pre-sale, experts have warned consumers to avoid any ticket offers other than the official routes sent to them by Ticketmaster and AXS sellers. those who have pre-registered.

According to Action Fraud, UK consumers have lost more than £6.7 million to ticket fraud by 2022.

Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud, said: “We urge people to be wary of selling tickets from unknown websites or people they don’t know.

“Criminals can offer deals during sold-out or exclusive events, however, once you’ve parted with your money, tickets are either scams or don’t show up at all.

“Remember, if that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Mary Kernohan, from brand protection agency SnapDragon Supervision, said: “Given Taylor Swift’s popularity and the fact this is her first UK tour in a long time, it’s no surprise However, when her tickets are in high demand. But this also makes them very attractive targets for criminals.

“Criminals can take advantage of the popularity of tickets and set up their own fake versions and websites that sell fake tickets to trick consumers and make money.

“This can range from spoofing legitimate domains and building their own similar versions, to building online discount ticket stores where people believe they are buying something. It was genuine, but when they entered their bank details, they were stolen and scammed for money.

“To prevent this, consumers should only buy tickets from authorized sellers and ignore suspicious emails about ticket discounts.”

She added: “For ticketing sites, they should also keep an eye on fake versions of their sites set up online.

“This proactive monitoring allows them to identify these fake websites and remove them quickly, before they have a chance to hurt gullible consumers.”

“Timeliness is an important consideration for cybercriminals,” said Matt Cooke, cybersecurity strategist at Proofpoint. The decoy mentions recent events or time-sensitive decisions that can cause victims to skip some of the scrutiny they might otherwise take.

“A high-grossing, highly demanded tour like Taylor Swift’s is the perfect hunting ground for cybercriminals who will take advantage of fans’ desperate need for tickets.

Proofpoint urges any Swifties looking to purchase tickets this week to make sure they’re buying them through an authorized vendor and to heed our tips for avoiding scams. If they fall victim to these criminals, they could lose more than the fare.”

Action fraud recommends the following ways to avoid ticket fraud:

• Buy tickets only from the box office, advertiser or official agent of the popular venue or ticketing website.
• Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone you don’t know. Credit cards or payment services like PayPal give you a better chance of getting your money back if you fall victim to a scam.
• The password you use for your email account, as well as any other accounts you use to purchase tickets, must be different from all your other passwords. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and enable two-step (2SV) verification.
• Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or advertisements offering unbelievably good deals on tickets.
• Ask yourself, is the supplier a member of the Association of Ticket Agents and Retailers (Star)? If so, the company has subscribed to their strict management standards. Star also offers an approved alternative dispute resolution service to help customers resolve outstanding claims. For more information, visit star.org.uk/buy_safe