Marketplace & ticket scams

Lesson 5 of 14 in our free Scams & Fraud guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.

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The story so far

Mo: Found festival tickets for half price on a resale post! The seller just needs a bank transfer.
Nana: Half price and bank transfer. That's two red flags holding hands.
Chip: Bank transfers to strangers are like handing over cash. Card payments and official resale platforms give you much more protection.

Red flag: “Latest games console, sealed, £150 (usually £480).” — Way under the normal price.
Red flag: “Moving abroad tomorrow so need it gone FAST.” — Sob story plus urgency.
Red flag: “Can't meet, will post.” — You can't see the item before paying.
Red flag: “Bank transfer only, no card payments,” — Avoiding payment methods that protect you.
Red flag: “message me off the app to keep it simple.” — Moving you off the platform removes its buyer protection.
Platform's own checkout with buyer protection → More protection. Designed to protect you if it never arrives.
Credit card → More protection. Card payments can be disputed, and credit cards add legal protection on many purchases from businesses.
Bank transfer to a stranger → Less protection. Once it's gone, it's very hard to get back.
Gift cards as payment → Less protection. No legit seller asks for gift cards. Always a scam.
Crypto transfer → Less protection. Irreversible and hard to trace.
Myth: “A seller with lots of five-star reviews can't be a scammer.” — Accounts get hacked or bought, and reviews faked. Check the payment method, not just the stars.
Fact: “Official ticket resale platforms are safer than random social media sellers.” — They can verify tickets and refund you if it goes wrong.
Fact: “Paying 'friends and family' style to a stranger can remove buyer protection.” — Those options are for paying people you know. Use proper checkout for purchases.