A check by LifestyleTech found sellers on Carousell listing tickets to Taylor Swift's concert in Singapore next year for up to RM25,600. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: As the demand for live concerts surges in the post-pandemic era, fans are turning to third-party sellers on platforms such as Carousell to secure tickets for sold-out shows.
Carousell says it complies with guidance from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to moderate the sale of local concert tickets on its platform as part of an effort to protect its users from potential fraud.
“For the sale of local concert tickets, we take guidance from MCMC on the necessary actions to take, such as moderating the sale of Coldplay’s Malaysia concert tour tickets in May this year,” the company said in a statement to LifestyleTech.
Back in May, Coldplay concert tickets were reportedly being listed for up to RM43,000 on a third-party platform. This prompted Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil to say that MCMC had been instructed to take action on ticket resale ads on social media.
Carousell said it will review on a case-to-case basis if organisers and ticketing agents are able to provide evidence of known illegal activity.
"If Carousell receives any report or comes across any listing that has potentially illegal transactions, we will investigate further and take action where necessary."
However, the company said to their knowledge that the sale of concert tickets overseas are not regulated by any local enforcement agencies. Instead, users have to take proactive measures.
"Users are encouraged to report any suspicious listings and users to us via the ‘Report Listing’ and ‘Report User’ feature that's available on both the web and the app. Our team will review these reports within 24 hours from when it's being reported."
A check by LifestyleTech found sellers on Carousell listing tickets to Taylor Swift's concert in Singapore next year for up to RM25,600.
A seller claimed that the RM25,600 offer comes with two VIP tickets plus a one night stay at a hotel.
A number of sellers have also listed VIP tickets for more than RM9,000 with one person saying buyers can follow them on social media to "gain more trust".
‘Scammer’s user ID’ needed
Recently, police said an engineer in Kuching lost RM11,530 after contacting a seller to purchase Swift concert tickets on Carousell.
The victim made three payment transactions to the suspect's bank account on July 6 and 7. Police said the seller could no longer be reached after the victim made the payments.
When it comes to fraud-related matters, Carousell said that users are encouraged to make police reports that references "scammer's user ID" in order to help pinpoint the suspect.
The company said it will not hesitate to suspend or ban user accounts based on sufficient grounds. Its team will first conduct an investigation to determine if the matter is related to fraud or other disputes.
“While under investigation by Carousell, the account will be restricted from selling or buying items, while allowing the sellers time to resolve the issue with users.
“However, if the seller is not cooperative in resolving the pending transactions, we will suspend the account. If we identify that the seller has committed fraud, we will suspend and ban the user account permanently.”
It also encourages users to be cautious and practice due diligence when arranging any deals.
“Our dedicated Trust team works swiftly to moderate listings and alert our users on not getting swept away by too good a deal when demands peak, such as when concert tickets are released.”
It added that users can also look at its Local Trends and Safety Advisories for more tips on safety.
