scam type guide
ticket & gift card scams.
fake tickets. counterfeit QR codes. gift card fraud.
Ticket scams target fans desperate for sold-out events. Scammers sell counterfeit or non-existent tickets through social media, resale sites, and direct messages. Gift card payment requests are a universal red flag across all scam types.
$400M.
lost to ticket scams in 2024
12%.
of resold tickets are fraudulent
$200.
average ticket scam loss
94.5%.
suss. detection rate
red flags to watch for.
if you see any of these, suss it out before responding.
sold-out event, too-good price
Tickets to a sold-out Taylor Swift show at face value? Almost certainly fake.
payment via gift cards
Anyone asking for gift card payment — for anything — is running a scam.
can't use official transfer
Won't use Ticketmaster/AXS official transfer. Sends screenshots or PDFs instead.
social media seller
Found the ticket through Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook — no buyer protection.
QR code screenshot
A screenshot of a QR code proves nothing — the same code can be sold to multiple people.
extreme urgency
Show is tonight! Must pay now! These pressure tactics prevent you from thinking clearly.
real examples suss. catches.
paste messages like these into suss. for instant analysis.
“I have 2 front row Taylor Swift tickets I can't use. Face value $250 each. Send me a $200 Steam gift card for each and I'll transfer them right away.”
HIGH RISK — ticket + gift card scam
“DM me for BTS concert tickets! I have multiple dates available. PayPal F&F only, no refunds. Will send QR code screenshot after payment.”
HIGH RISK — counterfeit ticket scam
real victim stories.
anonymized cases from actual ticket & gift card scams reports.
A fan bought 'floor seats' to a sold-out Olivia Rodrigo show via Instagram. Paid $400 via Venmo. The QR code was a duplicate sold to 5 others.
QR code screenshots can be infinitely duplicated. Only use official transfer.
A man was asked to pay for NFL tickets with $300 in Target gift cards. The 'seller' disappeared after receiving the card numbers.
Gift cards are cash. No legitimate seller asks for gift card payment.
check it now.
paste a suspicious message below for instant AI analysis.
how to protect yourself.
follow these tips and use suss. to verify anything suspicious.
Only buy tickets through official platforms (Ticketmaster, AXS, StubHub).
Use the platform's official ticket transfer feature — never accept screenshots.
Never pay with gift cards, crypto, Zelle, or Venmo for tickets.
If the price is too good for a sold-out event, the tickets are fake.
Meet at the venue box office to verify tickets before paying.
Report fake ticket sellers to the platform and the FTC.
think you've seen a ticket & gift card scam?.
paste the message, email, or link into suss. for an instant AI-powered analysis. free, no signup needed.
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