When looking to purchase tickets for concerts, sporting events, or other live entertainment in the UK, it’s important to buy from reputable ticket sellers. There are many ticket resellers and secondary marketplaces operating online, but not all of them are trustworthy. Buying from an unreliable or dishonest source opens up the possibility of getting scammed with invalid, fraudulent, or overpriced tickets. To help you find legitimate ticket sellers, here is an overview of some of the most reputable options in the UK.
Official box offices and primary ticket agents
The safest option for buying tickets is directly through the official box office or a primary ticket agent for the event. The box office is the direct source for first-release tickets, before they go on sale elsewhere. Primary ticket agents have an official partnership with the event to sell a portion of the tickets. Buying directly from the box office or primary ticket partner eliminates the risks associated with resellers and ensures you are getting valid tickets.
Many larger venues, theatres, concerts, sporting events, and festivals in the UK have their own official box offices. Often the website for the venue or event will have an online box office to purchase tickets. Some examples of reputable box office sites include:
- The O2 Arena – Priority tickets for events at The O2 are sold at AXS.com
- Wembley Stadium – Official tickets at wembleystadium.com/Events/Event-Listing
- The Royal Albert Hall – Ticket office at royalalberthall.com
- Glastonbury Festival – See glastonburyfestivals.co.uk when tickets go on sale
In addition to venue box offices, primary ticket agents sell tickets on behalf of shows, concerts, and sporting events. Some of the best known primary agents in the UK include:
- Ticketmaster – Most major concerts, shows, and sporting events
- AXS – Music, theatre and comedy events
- Gigantic – Concerts and music festivals
- AltTickets – Wide range including concerts, football, rugby, and more
- Eventim – Concerts, theatre, comedy and sporting events
- LiveNation – Large concerts and festivals
- SeeTickets – Multi-genre events
These primary ticket agents have partnerships directly with the event organizers and have ticket inventory specifically allocated for them to sell. Shopping directly on their sites gives you confidence you are purchasing from an authorized seller.
Reputable secondary ticket marketplaces
If an event is sold out through the box office and primary sellers, the secondary ticket market is an option to find tickets being resold by other fans and season ticket holders. Secondary marketplaces act as intermediaries to connect buyers and sellers, so you are actually purchasing from another individual. While the secondary market carries more risk than primary sellers, some secondary exchanges are better than others when it comes to reliability and buyer protections.
Here are some of the most reputable secondary ticket marketplaces operating in the UK:
- StubHub – Owned by eBay, StubHub is one of the largest and most well-known secondary exchange sites. They offer buyer guarantees and fraud protection.
- Viagogo – A major international ticket marketplace with buyer guarantees to ensure valid tickets. They have come under some scrutiny for unclear pricing though.
- Twickets – A secondary marketplace focused specifically on music and concert events. They have tighter restrictions on sellers to ensure legitimacy.
- Seatwave – Owned by Ticketmaster, Seatwave offers a big selection but some concerns around inflated pricing.
- GetMeIn! – Part of Ticketmaster, GetMeIn! specializes more in live comedy, theatre, and sporting events.
These secondary sites have large inventories and some buyer protection policies in place for invalid or fraudulent tickets. However, prices are often marked up well over face value. Make sure to check their buyer guarantees closely and look out for any service fees.
What to watch out for in secondary ticket sites
While the secondary ticket marketplaces listed above are legal and generally reputable, there are still some risks you need to be aware of when buying tickets on resale sites:
- Higher prices – Tickets will almost always be marked up over their original face value on secondary sites.
- Fake or invalid tickets – Reputable resellers offer buyer guarantees, but fakes can still slip through.
- Mistaken listings for wrong event – Double check listings that have the correct event, date, and seats.
- Misleading fees – High service and delivery fees can get tacked onto orders, so watch for the final price.
- Scam websites – Fake ticket sites impersonate real companies to look legitimate.
To avoid getting ripped off, scrutinize sellers closely, look for buyer guarantees, and don’t use unrecognized resellers. Also avoid buying from independent sellers on general classifieds or auction sites, as they carry much higher fraud risk.
How to identify unsafe ticket resellers
Unfortunately, many sketchy ticket resellers and scam artist operations exist online. Here are some warning signs to spot unsafe, high-risk ticket sellers that should be avoided:
- No buyer guarantees or policies around fraudulent tickets
- Prices that are significantly below face value or market price
- Pushy sales tactics insisting you buy now before tickets are gone
- Website has no contact information, physical address, or company details
- Site looks unprofessional, is missing pages, or has lots of grammatical errors
- Advertises with shady terminology like “no ID required” or “discounted backstage passes”
- Payment only accepted by bank/wire transfer, cash transfer apps, or crypto
- No refund policy and refusal to accept returns for invalid tickets
If a ticket seller you’ve found shows any of these warning signs, avoid them and look for a more reputable option. Remember if an offer seems too good to be true, it very likely is.
Safe ways to buy tickets
Here are some tips for getting tickets safely whether buying from primary sellers or resellers:
- Buy early directly from the box office or primary ticket agent when tickets first go on sale.
- For resale tickets, only use well known sites like StubHub that offer buyer guarantees.
- Check seller ratings and reviews closely before purchasing from a reseller.
- Confirm the ticket listing has correct event name, venue, date and seats.
- Look for sites that use secure checkout and encrypt your payment information.
- Avoid wire transfers, cash apps, crypto or other irreversible payment methods.
- Make sure you receive a legitimate ticket confirmation email shortly after purchase.
As long as you buy from authorized sellers, follow security best practices, and trust your judgement, you should be able to get great tickets to any event while avoiding scams.
How to spot fake or invalid tickets
Even when buying from legitimate sources, there is still a possibility of ending up with fake, invalid tickets for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the ways you can identify if tickets being sold to you are fraudulent:
- Blurry barcodes, pixelated QR codes, misspellings – These are signs of a doctored or photocopied ticket.
- Tickets marked “Not for Resale” – Some tickets have resale restrictions and can be voided if sold.
- Incorrect seat numbers – Double check section, row and seat info match the venue’s seating map.
- Wrong pricing levels – Fake tickets will often have inaccurate pricing for the type of seats.
- No order confirmation – Reputable sellers will provide order confirmation emails.
- Generic stock images – Scam listings use stock photos instead of photos of the actual tickets.
- Seller insisting on cash or irreversible payment – Big red flag for fraud.
If tickets you purchased show any signs of being fake, contact the seller immediately before the event to get a refund or replacement tickets. Most buyer guarantees require reporting invalid tickets in advance of the event start time.
What to do if you get scammed by a ticket seller
If you unfortunately get tricked into buying fake or non-existent tickets from an illegitimate seller, here are some steps you can take to get help:
- Report fraud to Action Fraud – UK’s fraud and cybercrime reporting center.
- File claims through payment provider – Report issues to PayPal, credit card company, bank, etc.
- Report seller account – Notify site administrators to try to get account removed.
- Leave negative reviews – Warn others about dishonest sellers.
- Contact venue box office – Explain situation in case they can help or replace tickets if available.
- Consult consumer protection organizations – Groups like Citizens Advice can provide guidance.
- Request chargeback from bank – You can request money back on debit/credit card purchases.
- Take legal action – Consult a lawyer about civil action options in your country.
The most important thing is to act quickly after any fraud and notify all relevant parties. While frustrating, being proactive gives you the best chance at a resolution.
Conclusion
Finding trustworthy sources for event tickets is crucial to avoid getting scammed. The official box office and authorized primary ticket agents are always the best place to check first. If going through the secondary market, take time to thoroughly vet resellers, read reviews, confirm listings, and only use sites with buyer protections. Avoid unregulated classifieds and auction sites. Be sceptical of prices that seem too good to be true. If you follow general ticket buying best practices and trust your instincts, you can securely get tickets from the many reputable sellers operating in the UK.