Warning as fake concert ticket scams on the rise in France
Fans are advised to use official channels to avoid invalid or overpriced tickets
Unauthorised resale websites sell tickets for almost any event but they may not be genuine
Pungu x/Shutterstock
Fans heading to concerts in France are urged to take extra care when buying tickets as fraud linked to fake or overpriced resale continues to spread.
The problem is affecting major shows and smaller gigs alike. Ahead of his sold-out concert at the Stade de France on Saturday (April 26), French rapper Jul warned fans to be "extremely vigilant" after reports of fake tickets being sold via small ads, unofficial intermediaries and social media.
A total of 98,000 people attended the show — but many were turned away after unknowingly buying fake tickets.
The problem is by no means limited to France. Fake tickets for the Oasis reunion tour have seen more than 5,000 fans defrauded some €460 on average, with total losses of €2.3million, according to Lloyds Bank.
Read more: Warning over sophisticated holiday rental scam across France
Fake ticket websites
A professional-looking website is not proof that a site is official. Indeed, today it is extremely easy to make a professional-looking website, often created quickly on platforms like Shopify
“Fake ticket sites have spread because it is now very easy to build a convincing e-commerce site," Étienne Papin, a lawyer specialising in digital law, told RMC Conso.
“We sometimes also see irrational behaviour on the part of fans who are desperate to see their artist at any price and are more likely to fall into these traps.”
Concert organisers try to have such sites closed as quickly as possible, but the time between launch and shutdown is often enough to catch many victims.
Read more: There is now a new way of reporting scams and fraud in France
Resale platforms
Unofficial resale platforms such as Viagogo, StubHub or the now defunct Live-booker.fr sell tickets for almost any event — often at highly inflated prices — but without any guarantee they are valid.
Ahead of Jul’s concert, standing tickets originally sold for €55 were being offered for €175 on Viagogo, with seats under €100 priced above €400.
A 2022 investigation by consumer group UFC-Que Choisir highlighted how Viagogo regularly misleads buyers - creating a false sense of urgency and hiding final costs until late in the booking process.
French law bans unauthorised ticket resale, yet Viagogo, based in Delaware in the US, remains largely out of reach of enforcement.
Even if some tickets are genuine, others may be duplicates or invalid, leading to buyers being turned away at the door with no refund.
French consumer watchdog the DGCCRF has repeatedly fined and ordered the closure of resale sites including Live-booker.fr and Next-concert.com, which were found guilty of selling non-existent event tickets.
Read more: New way to check if a website or email is fraudulent in France
Private resale
Fans desperate for tickets often turn to private sales through platforms like Leboncoin or Facebook groups - but here too scams are common.
Fraudsters, often known as brouteurs, create fake profiles and pose as genuine sellers. Warning signs include poor spelling, recently created accounts, and few friends or followers.
If buying from an individual, it is always safer to meet in person. Otherwise, ask for proof of identity before transferring any money.
How to safely buy resale tickets
The safest option is to use official resale channels.
These include:
