How do I verify a ticket site is legitimate?

Buy directly from official sites like Ticketmaster or the venue's own website, or use verified resale platforms with buyer guarantees like StubHub and SeatGeek. Check the exact URL before entering any information — scammers build convincing clone sites with domains off by just a letter or two.

A 'staff member' is asking me to send gift cards to secure tickets I already paid for, what now?

Refuse immediately. No legitimate ticketing company ever asks for gift cards after a purchase is already made — this is an absolute red flag. Report the attempt and contact your bank if you've already sent codes.

Ticketmaster/StubHub Scam: The One-Letter-Off Domain (2026)

The rule that protects you: buy directly from official sites like Ticketmaster or the venue's website, or use verified resale platforms with buyer guarantees like StubHub and SeatGeek.

The three most common variants

Variant 1

Counterfeit tickets

Third-party listings post photos of real-looking tickets at unbelievably low prices — copies that won't scan at the venue.

Variant 2

Email phishing

A fake "order confirmation" email asks you to confirm your details, leading to a site designed to harvest logins and card details.

Variant 3

Gift card scams

A fake "staff member" asks you to forward money via gift cards to "secure" tickets you already paid for.

The common trap

The lookalike domain

In every case, the fraudulent site copies the official branding but sits on a domain that's slightly different from the real one.

Psychological levers used

Borrowed Authority

These aren't isolated tricks: they're documented mechanisms, used in thousands of different scams. Explore the Grammar of Manipulation →

How to spot it

A price that's suspiciously low for a sold-out show.
A request for gift cards to "secure" a purchase already made.
A domain that's slightly off from the official site, even if it looks nearly identical.

What to do

Buy only from the official site or a verified resale platform with buyer guarantees.
Check the exact URL before entering any information.
Never pay by gift card for a ticket or service you already purchased.
If you've been scammed, report the site and contact your bank if you shared payment details.

Egidio: your automatic phishing detector

These fake sites are built to be visually indistinguishable from the real thing. Egidio catches the fraudulent link before it can do anything.

Egidio scans links arriving through your messaging apps in real time, blocking known fraudulent pages.

Install Egidio