Festival and concertgoers are urged to be on their guard against fraudulent ticket sellers after Kent victims lost a total of £150,559 last year.

Kent Police is supporting an awareness campaign led by Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting service, warning people of the dangers of buying tickets from unauthorised suppliers.

In 2023 a total of 190 reports were made by Kent residents who did not receive what they had paid for, with an average loss of £792 per victim.

Nationally more than 8,700 people reported ticket fraud last year with a total of £6.7 million stolen from them.

The warning comes ahead of a number of popular festivals, concerts and sporting events planned throughout the summer months.

Detective Inspector Helen Smithers of Kent Police’s Economic Crime Unit said: ‘The biggest events sell out very quickly and criminals are quick to take advantage of those who are desperate to see their favourite musicians or sports players in person.

‘As tempting as it may be, please do not purchase tickets from a website or individual unless you are entirely confident they are legitimate and can be trusted. Also remember that if a deal seems too good to be true, it usually is.’

How to protect yourself from ticket fraud:

• Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, the promoter, an official agent or a well-known and reputable ticket exchange site.

• Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering the money if you become a victim of fraud.

• The password you use for your email account, as well as any other accounts you use to purchase tickets, should be different from all your other passwords. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and enable two-step verification (2SV).

• Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets.

• Is the vendor a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR)? If they are, the company has signed up to their strict governing standards. STAR also offers an approved ‘alternative dispute resolution’ service to help customers with outstanding complaints. For more information visit the STAR website.