Demand for festival tickets is rising across the UK, as fans rush to secure their spots ahead of the busy summer schedule.

New data sourced by Capital One UK reveals that UK Google searches for “festival tickets” have been increasing steadily since the start of the year, with more than 140,000 searches in the past month, up 18% compared to the previous 28 days¹.

However, with sought-after events selling out quickly, many fans turn to resale sites or social media listings in the hope of securing tickets - a moment that scammers frequently exploit.

The latest data from Report Fraud highlights the risk that comes with buying tickets online (opens in a new tab), with more than 10,000 reports of ticket fraud from March 2025 to March 2026, costing UK consumers a total of £10.8 million².

With high demand and limited tickets often fuelling fake listings, fraudulent sites and social media scams, Capital One UK has shared five tips to help fans stay safe when buying tickets online. 

1. Always buy from reputable sources

   Always purchase tickets from official ticket retailers, authorised resale platforms, or directly from event organisers. Avoid unfamiliar websites that appear in search results.

2. Be cautious on social media marketplaces

   Criminals frequently advertise tickets on social media platforms by using fake profiles or compromised accounts. Listings with little information, suspicious reviews or unrealistic pricing should be treated with caution.

3. Watch out for pressure tactics

   Scammers often create a sense of urgency, claiming tickets are in extremely limited supply or must be purchased immediately. Taking time to verify the seller can help avoid costly mistakes.

4. Avoid unsecured payment methods

   Fraudsters may try to convince buyers to pay using bank transfers or unsecure payment apps. Using secure payment methods, such as credit cards, can provide additional protection (opens in a new tab) if something goes wrong.

5. Check websites carefully

   Look for secure website indicators such as HTTPS, verified retailers, and official branding. Fake websites are often designed to closely mimic legitimate ticket sellers.
   
   

Paul Stanyon, Head of Risk and Fraud Strategy, at Capital One UK, said: 

“Social media has become a hotspot for fraudsters, with fake listings popping up to tempt fans to part with their money - and risking their personal data too. Common red flags for fraud are unbelievable prices, suspicious reviews, pressure tactics like limited-time offers or trying to steer you away from official payment methods. Just remember, if finding a ticket for that sold-out tour or festival feels too good to be true, it probably is.

“For extra protection when buying online, use a credit card. Purchases between £100 and £30,000 may be protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which means that if your goods don’t arrive or aren’t what you expected, you might be able to claim your money back through your credit card provider.

“At Capital One UK, we are committed to keeping our customers’ accounts secure through our Fraud Protection Promise. We constantly monitor for suspicious activity and act quickly if something doesn’t look right. Customers can also use our app to stay safe, with tools like instant spend alerts to track all transactions and the ability to immediately lock their card if they suspect any foul play.”

1. Google search data was collected from Google Trends on 28th April 2026 using Glimpse, comparing UK searches for ‘festival tickets’ month-on-month. There were 140,066 Google searches for ‘festival tickets' from March 29th to April 25th 2026, an 18% increase on the 118,301 searches in the previous four-week period from March 1st to March 28th, a 40% increase on the 100,317 searches from February 1st to February 28th and a 54% increase on the 91,209 searches from January 4th to January 31st.

2. Key statistics on the fraud and cyber crimes reported to Report Fraud are available via a configurable, interactive reporting dashboard (opens in a new tab), which is updated each month and currently covers a 13 month period. The data in this release was sourced by filtering the ‘Crimes by Code’ to NFIB3F - Ticket Fraud and using the most recent 13 month period (March 2025 to March 2026). Data is correct as of 20/04/26, but is subject to change due to rolling data. Report Fraud’s definition of Ticket Fraud can be found here: https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/ticket-fraud/ (opens in a new tab)