SINGAPORE: A 29-year-old woman was arrested on Monday (Mar 11) for her suspected involvement in scams concerning the sale of Taylor Swift concert tickets on online marketplace Carousell.
The US pop star wrapped up the last of her six sold-out shows on Saturday. Singapore was the only stop in Southeast Asia for Swift’s Eras Tour after government agencies secured an exclusive deal with her.
The police said they received several reports between Mar 3 and Mar 7 from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller advertising the sale of concert tickets on Carousell.
The seller, upon receiving payment via PayNow or bank transfer, failed to deliver the concert tickets and became uncontactable.
The police subsequently established the woman’s identity through follow-up investigations and arrested her on Monday.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that she is believed to be involved in other similar reports with losses amounting to more than S$24,000 (US$18,000),” the police said.
The woman will be charged on Tuesday with the offence of cheating. If found guilty, she faces up to 10 years’ jail and a fine.
Concert ticket scams have made the headlines in recent weeks, involving other acts such as Coldplay, Yoasobi, Joker Xue and Enhypen.
The police said on Mar 1 that at least S$213,000 were lost to Swift concert ticket scams over the past two months. More than 330 victims fell prey to such scams in January and February, they added.
Carousell suspended the sale of Swift’s Eras Tour tickets from Feb 23 to Mar 9, noting that ticket scams rose in the lead-up to her shows globally.
To avoid falling victim to such scams, the police advised members of the public to take precautionary measures such as avoiding making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.
“If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items,” they said.
The police urged vigilance against scammers who may entice buyers to contact them offering a better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them.
“They may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of a NRIC/driver’s license to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it,” the police added.
Anyone with information relating to such crimes can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it here.
