Carousell suspends sale of Taylor Swift tickets to combat fraud

Carousell will be suspending the sale of Taylor Swift's concert tickets on its platform from today to March 9. 

This is due to the surge in ticket scams preceding many of Taylor Swift's shows across her global tour, said the online marketplace in a press release on Friday (Feb 23). 

This means that users will no longer be able to create new listings for Eras Tour tickets.

This is done across all six of its markets in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

Existing listings on the platform will also be removed by next Monday. 

Apologising for the "inconvenience" caused by the move, the platform explained that although it generally allows the sale of concert tickets, the one-off exception was made due to the "unique case" of the Eras Tour. 

"We expect many overseas concertgoers who may not know how to adequately protect themselves from local scam tactics.

"Additionally, we realise that the two weeks leading up to the Eras tour shows are prime for scammers taking advantage of last-minute panic buying of concert tickets," said Su Lin Tan, Carousell's chief of staff. 

Tan added that the platform is also working closely with the police and will take action against scammers. 

To detect and remove listings, Carousell will be using a mix of AI detection and manual moderation. Users are also encouraged to report any listings with the 'Report Listing' feature on Carousell's app and website. 

Since Oct 3, 2023, Carousell has implemented a Singpass verification for Singapore sellers who wish to upload listings in the Tickets & Vouchers category. 

The platform has also put up advisories on the app to educate users on how to transact safely. 

Separately, buyers are also encouraged to conduct their own background checks on any deals made. 

More than 50 people lose $45k to Taylor Swift concert ticket scams 

Back in July last year, more than 50 people were reported to have lost $45,000 while trying to snag tickets to Taylor Swift's concert. 

One of them, Anna (not her real name), paid $700 to a "reseller" on Carousell for two Category 3 tickets, but ended up getting blocked after transferring the money over, The Straits Times reported. 

The police told The Straits Times that Twitter was the most common platform where victims would fall prey to scammers. 

Other platforms include Carousell, Xiaohongshu, Telegram and Facebook, they said. 

They also noted a resurgence of scams involving concert ticket sales as more entertainers announce concert dates in Singapore. 

READ ALSO: 'I knew it could be a scam': Student so desperate to meet idols Seventeen she paid for non-existent backstage pass

claudiatan@asiaone.com