Buying concert tickets safely in Australia and NZ

Most ticket scams go the same way. A show sells out, someone searches for tickets in a panic, and they end up paying a stranger by bank transfer for a ticket that doesn't exist, or one that's already been used. The good news is that the fixes are simple: buy from the authorised seller where you can, pay in a way you can reverse, and know which resale rules apply where you live.

This guide pulls together what the ACCC, Scamwatch, the NSW, Queensland and WA consumer agencies, New Zealand's Consumer Protection and Commerce Commission, and Ticketmaster's own policy pages say. Everything was checked on 3 October 2026. Laws and policies change, so follow the links in the sources if you're about to spend real money. We're not connected to any ticket seller or agency mentioned here.

Quick answers

Start with the authorised seller

The single best habit: go to the artist's, venue's or promoter's website and follow their ticket link. The ACCC and Consumer Protection NZ both give this advice, and Consumer Protection WA puts it bluntly: buy through the authorised seller "as you will pay the right price and protect your refund rights."

Don't start from a search engine. The ACCC warns about resellers turning up first in search results, and Consumer Protection NZ says "Don't automatically trust top search results. Some unauthorised sellers can pay for advertising." A site that looks like a ticket seller and sits above everything else on the page may be a reseller charging well over face value.

Two more checks before you buy:

• Know the real on-sale date. The ACCC says tickets offered before a show's sale has opened may be fraudulent. If someone's selling seats for a tour that went on sale this morning, or hasn't yet, be suspicious.
• Ignore the countdown pressure. Consumer Protection NZ warns against panic-buying when a site says there are "only a few tickets left".

How do I tell if a ticket website is fake?

Scamwatch says fake shopping sites often pretend to be well-known brands. Warning signs it lists include prices far lower than you'll find anywhere else, only one or unusual payment options such as gift cards or Bitcoin, and reviews that are all glowing or oddly vague.

Consumer Protection NZ adds a few things to look at:

• The web address. Watch for lookalike addresses that are one letter off the real one. And don't take ".co.nz" as proof a business is local or legitimate.
• Business details. A real seller has a business name, contact details and a location you can find.
• A secure connection. Look for https and the padlock. The ACCC and the Queensland Government say the same.
• Clear refund terms before you pay, not after.

In Victoria, Consumer Affairs Victoria also suggests checking a business's ABN or ACN, and sums it up as: "If you have any doubt, don't".

Resale sites have to say so

Some sites sell resale tickets only, and they're allowed to, within limits. In Australia the ACCC says ticket resale platforms must clearly show the statement "This is a ticket resale service. You are not buying from a primary ticket provider." They also have to display the original seller's price next to the resale price. If you see that statement, you're not on the original seller's site.

In New Zealand the Commerce Commission says resale websites must make clear that they sell resale tickets and aren't the primary outlet, mustn't suggest they're the seller, and can't hide transaction fees. Consumer Protection NZ says that, under the Fair Trading Act, falsely claiming to be the event's authorised ticket seller is an offence.

The ACCC's page also covers its case against Viagogo, where the Federal Court found the platform made false claims about its status as a seller and hid fees until late in the checkout. The Commerce Commission's page says it is also taking civil proceedings against Viagogo in New Zealand. That page may be out of date, so check it for the current status.

Buying from someone on Facebook, Instagram or Gumtree

This is where most of the risk sits. Nothing stops a private seller from posting a fake screenshot or selling the same ticket to five people.

Scamwatch's advice on social media sellers:

• Check the account's history. A profile with little history, few details and few followers is a warning sign of a fake.
• "Never send money to a person you have only met online."

Scamwatch's red flags for buying and selling scams include being asked to pay in unusual ways: money orders, pre-loaded cards, or to several different PayIDs or accounts. If a seller asks you to split the payment across accounts, walk away.

Consumer Protection WA has warned that fake tickets turn up on classified sites and unauthorised resale platforms. For a sold-out Coldplay run in Perth it pointed buyers to the authorised seller's fan-to-fan resale and warned them off Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace for that event.

The NSW Government says resale ads there must show the original ticket cost, an asking price no more than 10% above it, and the bay, row and seat number (or say it's general admission). WA requires the original cost including booking fees and the seat location. An ad without those details is a red flag in those states, as well as a breach.

How should I pay?

Pay in a way you can dispute. That means a credit card, or a payment platform with its own dispute process.

• The ACCC says don't transfer cash into bank accounts, and that paying by credit card may let you get a chargeback.
• Scamwatch says use the secure payment method recommended by the marketplace or platform. Where your bank shows it, check the payee's name matches the account or PayID you're paying.
• Consumer Affairs Victoria says think twice before paying straight into a seller's bank account. A credit card or an online payment service such as PayPal or BPay is safer.
• Consumer Protection NZ recommends a credit or debit card or a trusted platform with a dispute process, and notes that "bank transfers or gift cards usually don't" let you get your money back.

Consumer Protection WA has told buyers who were overcharged to ask for a refund and, if that failed, use a PayPal dispute or a credit card chargeback.

How chargebacks work in NZ

Consumer Protection NZ says banks should approve a chargeback for fraud or for goods that never arrive. They won't for a change of mind. Time limits apply, so check your card terms and move quickly. If your bank won't help, you can take it to the Banking Ombudsman.

Authorised resale: the safer way to buy second-hand

If a show has sold out, the authorised seller's own resale is the first place to look.

Ticketmaster Resale works like this, according to its policy pages as of October 2026:

• Australia: only tickets bought first-hand on ticketmaster.com.au can be listed. The listing price is capped at 110% of face value, and face value doesn't include transaction or delivery fees. Listings are marked verified, and the contract is between you and the seller.
• New Zealand: only tickets bought first-hand through the Ticketmaster NZ website or app can be listed. The total sale price, including the resale seller fee, can't be more than 120% of face value.

Ticketmaster's Australian purchase policy also says it doesn't vouch for the authenticity of tickets bought from unauthorised resellers or resale sites. So a ticket that started on Ticketmaster but was resold elsewhere isn't covered by that verification. The same policy says ticket limits apply per event and using multiple accounts to get around them can lead to cancellation, which is worth knowing if a seller has a suspiciously large stack.

Ticketek Marketplace is Ticketek's resale service. Consumer Protection WA named it as the authorised resale channel for a sold-out event in Perth. We couldn't check Ticketek's own resale rules, so read its terms before you buy.

Is it legal to resell tickets above face value?

It depends where you are. Here's what each government page says.

We haven't checked Tasmania, the ACT or the Northern Territory. Ask your local fair trading or consumer affairs office.

Note the Queensland wording: the page says it's illegal to buy above the cap too, not just to sell. It covers events at the major venues listed by Stadiums Queensland.

Can an over-priced ticket be cancelled?

In WA, yes. Consumer Protection WA has warned that tickets bought from unauthorised resellers or above the cap risk being cancelled, or the holder being refused entry. It's given that warning for both a UFC event and Coldplay's Perth shows.

In NZ, Consumer Protection lists the risks of buying resale even where it's legal: paying a lot more, being refused entry, getting the wrong seats or seats that don't exist, and struggling to get your money back.

What if the concert is cancelled?

Australia. The ACCC says you have refund rights if an event is cancelled or significantly changed, giving examples such as a change of headline act or a move to a different venue. That doesn't apply where the change is caused only by someone other than the organiser, such as government restrictions. Queensland's page says "You have the right to a refund if you bought a ticket to a cancelled event, even if the terms and conditions on the ticket say you can't get a refund."

The resale catch in NSW. NSW Fair Trading says "buying a resold ticket is not without risk". If an event is cancelled, the refund goes to the original purchaser, not to you as the resale buyer. Check whether the resale site offers cancellation cover before you pay.

New Zealand. Consumer Protection NZ says that if an event is cancelled you're entitled to a full refund, including the booking fee, from the seller you bought from. A postponement may also qualify, unless it was planned in advance, such as a rain date. The page also says the main NZ ticketing companies (Ticketmaster, Ticketek, iTICKET and Eventfinda) endorse the EVANZ ticketing Code of Practice.

I've been scammed. What now?

Speed matters more than anything else. Do these in order.

In Australia

1. Call your bank or card provider straight away and ask them to stop the transaction. Scamwatch puts this first.
2. Contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 if you've handed over personal details. It's a free identity and cyber support service for Australia and New Zealand.
3. Report it through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au and to Scamwatch.
4. Report the seller if they were scalping. In NSW, report non-compliant ads to the resale platform, and complain to NSW Fair Trading online or on 133 220 (weekdays). In WA, email Consumer Protection at consumer@demirs.wa.gov.au with "Ticket Scalping" in the subject line, or call 1300 30 40 54. Include screenshots of the ad and your messages, the link or ad ID, and the seller's name or alias.

In New Zealand

1. Stop all contact with the seller and don't send any more money.
2. Contact your bank immediately. Ask about a chargeback if you paid by card.
3. Report it to the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.govt.nz and to NZ Police on 105.
4. Change your passwords if you shared any login details.

For a complaint about a business, the Commerce Commission takes reports on 0800 943 600 or at comcom.govt.nz/report-a-concern. The Disputes Tribunal, Citizens Advice Bureau and Community Law Centres can also help. The Commerce Commission's scams page also suggests checking review sites, social media and Scamwatch for other people's experiences before handing money over, and lists Netsafe as somewhere to report.

A quick check before you pay

Scamwatch's short version is "Stop. Check. Protect.": stop before you hand over money or details, check the person or business is real through channels you find yourself, and act fast if something feels wrong. For a ticket, that looks like this:

• I found this seller through the artist, venue or promoter's website, not a search ad.
• If it's a resale site, it says so, and I can see the original price.
• The asking price is within the resale cap for my state, or for the seller's resale platform.
• The ad lists the seat (or says general admission) and the original cost.
• The seller's profile has real history, not a brand-new account.
• I'm paying by credit card or a platform with a dispute process, not a bank transfer, gift card or crypto.
• The payee's name matches the account I'm paying.
• The ticket will be transferred to me through the ticketing company, not sent as a screenshot.