Fan swindled out of HK$240,000 in 'surety' when buying two concert tickets

Warner Music HK urged fans to buy concert tickets only through official channels after a man was swindled out of over HK$240,000 in “surety” when buying two tickets for “This is MC” concert by pop singer Michael Cheung Tin-fu for HK$2,800. 

The fan first met the seller on the second-hand goods trading platform Carousell, who priced the two tickets at HK$2,800. 

He was then instructed by the seller to wire over HK$240,000 in “surety” to different bank accounts within a week, but the seller disappeared for good after collecting the money. 

Police said they have received at least 73 scam reports related to concert tickets in less than two weeks into the new year, with singers and bands staging shows one after another. 

Shows that are most “welcomed” by fraudsters include “Born Pink World Tour” by famous South Korean girl group Blackpink and “Fears and Dreams” concerts by Hong Kong's own Eason Chan Yick-shun, apart from the “This is MC” concerts. 

These three concert series each make up over 20 percent of concert ticket scams reported, police added. 

A spokesperson of Warner Music HK Ltd, the music company Cheung belongs to, thanked fans for their love and support towards the singer. 

“With the number of online scams rising rapidly every day, we urge fans not to purchase tickets through non-official channels so as to avoid falling victim and facing monetary loss,” the spokesperson said.