12 held in cross-border fake concert ticket ring involving G-Dragon, GEM shows

The Hong Kong Police Force, in collaboration with Shenzhen authorities, dismantled a cross-border syndicate selling forged concert tickets, leading to the arrest of 12 individuals.

Following thorough investigations involving intelligence gathering and surveillance footage, the police launched two operations on August 5 and 8, where undercover officers posed as buyers to raid multiple target locations, successfully arresting key members and intermediaries of the syndicate.

During the operation, the officer seized over 50 counterfeit tickets that were sold through a fraudulent Cityline platform.

The tickets are reportedly linked to popular events, including South Korean artist G-Dragon's concerts starting on August 8 at AsiaWorld-Expo, GEM's concerts at Kai Tak this weekend and the football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur during the "Hong Kong Football Festival 2025" on July 31 at the Kai Tak Sports Park. 

HK resident living in mainland as mastermind

Among the 12 arrested, four were captured in Shenzhen, including three Hong Kong men and one Chinese man, all claiming to be unemployed. 

Notably, a Hong Kong resident living in mainland China was believed to be the mastermind of the syndicate, responsible for purchasing raw materials to manufacture and deliver the fake tickets to Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong police arrested seven men and one woman, aged 19 to 65, who claimed to be students, housewives, and unemployed individuals. 

Three of the arrestees were intermediaries in the syndicate, responsible for transporting the fake tickets and for the recruitment, two were puppet account holders, while the remaining three handled the delivery of the fake tickets. 

All suspects face charges of "conspiracy to defraud", "possessing false instruments", "obtaining property by deception," and "money laundering." 

It is estimated that 16 cases of fake concert tickets are related to the syndicate, involving over HK$100,000.

Officers from the mainland and Hong Kong seized 24 and 30 counterfeit tickets in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, respectively, with a total value of HK$89,000. Reports indicated that individual victims suffered losses as high as HK$23,000.

Chain operations

Investigations revealed that the syndicate operated a factory in the mainland, purchasing printing machinery and raw materials to mass-produce counterfeit tickets.

During the transaction with victims, the group would demonstrate fake ticket verification techniques, providing forged QR codes, electronic order screenshots, and counterfeit official purchase records to gain buyers' trust. 

Authorities have advised the public to purchase tickets only through official channels, urging victims who bought tickets from unknown sources to report their cases.

No internal ticket purchases: event organizer

Separately, in response to reports of fans being scammed for G-Dragon's concert in Hong Kong, the event organizer Best Shine (China) Entertainment reiterated that it has not authorized any other platforms for the so-called "internal ticket" purchases, emphasizing that the only legitimate ticket platform is Cityline.

Fans are advised to avoid purchasing tickets through any third parties or illegal websites to prevent financial loss, the company wrote in a public statement.

The company also clarified that claims about "internal tickets" from online scalpers are fraudulent, and they will monitor the situation closely while reserving legal rights and referring the matter to the police.

G-Dragon concert incident

Despite the disappointment over the scams, excitement for the beloved idol remained high, with many fans wishing G-Dragon a happy birthday in advance during the concert on Saturday (Aug 9).

However, when G-Dragon approached the audience, someone threw fake money at him, drawing backlash from other fans online. 

The individual later explained that the act was only an attempt to imitate dancers who throw confetti, not to disrespect the super idol, and apologized to G-Dragon and all the fans.

Additionally, someone held up a sign inside the concert venue suggesting G-Dragon should bring back his former bandmate, Seungri, which provoked a strong reaction from many fans.