Concert fever is real, but so are ticket scams.
A total of 41 cases involving scams related to the sale of BTS concert tickets have been recorded by the Royal Malaysia Police, with losses amounting to RM95,974.
According to Kosmo!, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the cases were detected across various social media platforms ahead of the official ticket sales for the BTS World Tour concert, which is scheduled to take place on Dec 12 and 13.
Fake VIP and priority tickets
Rusdi said monitoring by the police found that syndicates, or scammers, had been using social media to offer concert tickets, especially for categories such as VIP, Soundcheck and Priority Access.
He said one of the tactics used was offering tickets before the official sale or pre-sale had even begun.
Some scammers also allegedly claimed that they had “insider access” or special ticket quotas, making the offers appear more convincing to eager fans.
The modus operandi identified includes offering tickets before the official sale or pre-sale, while claiming to have insider access or special quotas,” he said in a statement.
Pay to ‘lock’ their tickets
According to Rusdi, scammers were also found using fake screenshots as so-called proof of ticket bookings.
Victims were then instructed to make payments through bank transfers, DuitNow or QR codes, supposedly to “secure” or “lock” their ticket bookings.
However, after payment was made, victims either did not receive the promised tickets or could no longer contact the suspects.
Rusdi said based on current trends, the risk of scams involving BTS concert tickets is worrying and is expected to increase after official tickets are sold out, especially due to high demand and the fear of missing out among fans.
Public urged to buy ONLY from official channels
Following this, Rusdi advised the public to purchase tickets only through official channels announced by the organiser or authorised ticketing agents.
He also reminded Malaysians not to make payments to individuals selling tickets through social media without proper verification.
Do not easily believe claims of having special access, internal quotas or tickets before the official sales begin.
Check the validity of bank accounts and phone numbers through the Semak Mule portal before making any transaction,” he said.
He added that those who suspect they have fallen victim to a scam should immediately contact the National Scam Response Center at 997.
Rusdi said the CCID will continue monitoring scam trends linked to entertainment event ticket sales and take appropriate action against those involved.
The public is advised to always remain vigilant and not make hasty decisions that could result in financial losses,” he said.
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