HSBC UK warns of Glastonbury ticket scams as sales near

LONDON – As the highly anticipated Glastonbury Festival ticket sales approach, HSBC UK is alerting music fans to the increasing threat posed by scammers. The bank’s fraud prevention experts are emphasizing vigilance amongst festival-goers, highlighting a worrying trend of significant financial losses due to fraudulent ticket sales. David Callington, head of fraud at HSBC UK, has noted that victims of such scams have recently been defrauded of an average of £894 each.

HSBC UK has observed a surge in scam activity around high-demand events like Glastonbury, with scammers often targeting fans through social media and online marketplaces by offering fake tickets at deceptively low prices. These criminals typically vanish after receiving payment via bank transfer, leaving buyers without tickets and out of pocket. To combat this, HSBC is advising customers to only make purchases through official sellers or reputable fan websites.

The bank’s dedicated fraud awareness app provides current warnings about such scams and is available for both Android and iOS users. In addition to the app, HSBC recommends that consumers consult their phishing and social media scams page for the latest scam alerts. With the release of Glastonbury tickets imminent for those who have pre-registered, set for 9 am, HSBC’s guidance is timely and critical. They strongly caution against making payments through bank transfers and suggest keeping transaction receipts as a safety measure.

Callington has warned festival-goers to steer clear of unofficial ticket sources and to be particularly cautious of potentially harmful links circulated via social media or email. HSBC’s expert teams are actively monitoring for suspicious transactions in an effort to thwart these fraud attempts and protect consumers from financial harm.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.