![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_JS375800064.jpg\")
Final Oasis concert at Heaton Park<\/p>\nMEN INVESTIGATION: Victims say tickets they spent thousands of pounds on never arrived, and they have failed so far to get any money back. Helena Vesty reports.Final Oasis concert at Heaton Park<\/p>\n
Music fans claim they have lost thousands of pounds in an alleged \u2018scam\u2019 after trying to snag tickets to some of Manchester\u2019s biggest gigs this summer \u2013 including Oasis at Heaton Park<\/a> and Billie Eilish at Co-op Live.<\/p>\n One victim says he lost \u00a33,500 after believing he\u2019d bought 29 Oasis tickets on behalf of a group of friends and family. The two Heaton Park homecoming weekends for the band came and went without any tickets arriving.<\/p>\n Another said her daughter was left devastated after Billie Eilish tickets, paid for and promised as a Christmas<\/a> gift, failed to ever show up.<\/p>\n But the seller disputes that there is any scam going on, insisting people have received tickets from him \u2018fine\u2019 before, that there was \u2018just a huge issue with Oasis ones\u2019, and that people will get their money back.<\/p>\n The Manchester Evening News has spoken to three people who say they sent money to a man on social media and messaging apps, after he promised he could supply them with concert tickets.<\/p>\n The man\u2019s contact information was passed around between friends and families as people had good experiences buying tickets from him at first.<\/p>\n Never miss a story with the MEN’s daily Catch Up newsletter – get it in your inbox by signing up here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Long lists of upcoming events at Manchester\u2019s biggest venues were sent out by the man, who appears to operate from Halifax, through social media and Whatsapp, claim customers.<\/p>\n People told the M.E.N. that they chose from the list and paid the seller for tickets through bank transfers.<\/p>\n The tickets were then, as pledged, transferred into the customers\u2019 Ticketmaster accounts from the seller successfully, they say.<\/p>\n They then went back for more \u2013 including spending thousands trying to get tickets for the recent Oasis gigs \u2013 and the money was transferred to the man.<\/p>\n But this time, no tickets were ever sent over nor money refunded, according to the people we spoke to.<\/p>\n The M.E.N. tracked down the man to put the allegations to him.<\/p>\n The seller, who we have has not named for legal reasons, responded to their claims, saying: \u201cPeople are getting money back as tickets fell through.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been refunding people as I can daily and everyone will be getting money back.<\/p>\n \u201cI told people to go to banks as I thought that was the quickest way to get money to them, which in some cases it has been.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am sorry this happened and I want everyone sorting ASAP. I am waiting for money to come to me to move back to people,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone will get paid and sorted out, despite what they may believe of me.\u201d<\/p>\n Ashlea Penty, 39, says she was a victim of the ticket seller. The Wythenshawe<\/a> mum heard about the man through friends, who had bought and received tickets.<\/p>\n Ashlea also successfully got tickets for Sean Paul and Ashanti, which she\u2019d bought from him at first, but then things started to unravel.<\/p>\n \u201cI messaged him over Christmas to get my niece and daughter Billie Eilish tickets, I sent the money straight away, my daughter is completely and utterly obsessed,\u201d she told the Manchester Evening News.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a single mum with six kids, I can\u2019t afford full-whack ticket prices and I\u2019d got tickets from him before. I paid him \u00a3350.\u201d<\/p>\n When Billie Eilish started her run of shows at Co-op Live in mid-July, the tickets were nowhere to be seen, claims Ashlea.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019d normally sent the tickets a couple of days before, through Ticketmaster,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the day of the show, I messaged him saying \u2018you need to be sending me these tickets\u2019, he told me he was trying. I\u2019d told him he needed to send me them or give me back the money so I could get tickets through Ticketmaster myself.<\/p>\n \u201cThen he said Ticketmaster had blocked his account and told us to try and get a refund through the bank.<\/p>\n \u201cThis caused a major conflict between my husband and I. My daughter didn\u2019t come out of her room for two days, she\u2019s 15.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s emotionally impacted my house, \u00a3350 over Christmas is a lot of money. It is at any time of the year to be honest, to be told you can\u2019t get it back is even worse.\u201d<\/p>\n Ashlea says she feels awful for being duped \u2013 and spreading the seller\u2019s details to other people.<\/p>\n \u201cYou got tickets cheaper if you advertised him on Facebook,\u201d explained Ashlea.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people have bought tickets because they\u2019ve seen him on my Facebook \u2013 I wouldn\u2019t have advertised him if I didn\u2019t get the tickets in the first place.<\/p>\n \u201cI made a group chat for victims \u2013 it started off as five people, there\u2019s more than 100 of us now.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of my friends had so many tickets through him, I didn\u2019t even question. Now I\u2019ll never trust anybody like that again, I\u2019ll always go through the right channels from now on.<\/p>\n As of writing on August 11, Ashlea says she has not received any refund from the seller, nor had a reply from him about her money.<\/p>\n Another victim, a 30-year-old man, told the M.E.N. that he, too, had been passed the same ticket seller\u2019s information by people he knew.<\/p>\n He decided to get tickets for a darts tournament through the man. \u201cStraight away, he got them, and we had really good seats,\u201d said the 30-year-old from Radcliffe<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe sent out a list of events we could buy tickets for straight away, and he makes it believable. He\u2019d say that he only gets tickets for venues in Manchester, and you\u2019d have to give him a bit of notice if you wanted him to sort tickets outside of Manchester.<\/p>\n \u201cI got tickets for Chris Brown, again they were really good seats.\u201d<\/p>\n The dad passed the seller\u2019s phone number around to those he knew, after being told the seller worked for Ticketmaster.<\/p>\n Then came Oasis at Heaton Park last month. \u201cI fully believed in him at that point, after using him twice,\u201d said the man, who wishes to remain anonymous.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d previously asked him if I could get Oasis tickets \u2013 lots of people had been after them and I\u2019d said to my mates that I know a guy who might be able to get us some.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were 29 tickets I should have been getting from this guy for Oasis.<\/p>\n \u201cIt got closer and closer to the time, and the seller told me that the transfer system on Ticketmaster was down and being really slow. But he said he\u2019d taken lots of bookings and it was happening for everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cHe asked me if I wanted to transfer the tickets to the second weekend, or wanted a refund, because he wasn\u2019t able to get the tickets to me in time for the first weekend\u2019s shows.<\/p>\n \u201cOne person I\u2019d bought tickets for asked for a refund because they couldn\u2019t make it, and the seller sent me back \u00a3300.\u201d<\/p>\n The Radcliffe dad told the seller he wanted to move the remainder of the tickets to the second weekend. But come the final Oasis weekend at the end of July, and there were still no tickets.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter the final Oasis concert, he was telling me how sorry he was, and that his advice would be to get in touch with his bank,\u201d said the 30-year-old.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked him what was going on with the tickets and he was making excuses.<\/p>\n \u201cIt made me wonder, is he the scammer or has he been scammed too?<\/p>\n \u201cMy bank is saying they won\u2019t investigate further at the moment because I got the Chris Brown tickets, and that \u00a3300 refund. The bank is saying it’s a buyer-seller dispute.\u201d<\/p>\n The Radcliffe victim says he spent just short of \u00a34,000 in total with the \u2018scammer\u2019.<\/p>\n That includes \u00a33,500 on Oasis \u2013 \u00a3900 of which was the buyer\u2019s own money, trying to get tickets for family members, the rest was money sent by other people attempting to get in on the deal.<\/p>\n \u201cI just feel bad for my nana\u2019s mates, who had given me money for tickets,\u201d said the victim.<\/p>\n \u201cI told the seller \u2018I want to feel sorry for you, but there\u2019s so many people you\u2019ve let down\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n As of writing on August 11, he says he has not received any refund from the seller, nor had a reply from him about his money.<\/p>\n The bad feeling is having an impact on those who live near the seller, says one of his neighbours, who wishes to remain anonymous.<\/p>\n \u201cAngry people come knocking on my door thinking it\u2019s me who owes them money, especially over the last couple of weeks,\u201d the Halifax resident told the M.E.N.<\/p>\n \u201cI get funny looks in town from people who I\u2019m sure think it\u2019s me.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just not something you expect to happen on your doorstep.\u201d<\/p>\n Another victim, from Bolton, said she\u2019d been recommended by friends to use him after good experiences.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s like he uses bits of tickets here and there to show people he can get them. And then he could prove that he was sending people tickets and that they\u2019d got into the events,” she explained.<\/p>\n “He’d send screenshots and screen recordings of his transfers over Ticketmaster to other customers. It seemed very legitimate.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many posts now appearing on Facebook from people saying they\u2019ve been scammed by the same man over Oasis tickets, Billie Eilish, even Taylor Swift whose concerts were a year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n This woman says she sent the seller \u00a3950 for Oasis, Coldplay and Sam Fender tickets.<\/p>\n \u201cI know it\u2019s stupid, but it seemed really legit. He\u2019d sent voice messages saying \u2018trust me, it\u2019s safe\u2019,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThen he messaged me at 6.30 the morning of the Oasis gig I was supposed to be going to, saying he couldn\u2019t do any transfers and that his bank account had been reported.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel embarrassed for even being a part of it. He kept saying he\u2019s going to sort the money out but I\u2019ve not got anything back \u2013 it\u2019s hard to deal with through the banks because we\u2019ve willingly sent our money to this account.\u201d<\/p>\n As of writing on August 11, the Bolton woman says she has not received any refund from the seller, nor had a reply from him about her money.<\/p>\n The seller responded to these claims specifically, saying: \u201cColdplay and Sam Fender\u2026 have not actually happened yet.<\/p>\n \u201cMany people have had tickets fine off me and [it was] just a huge issue with Oasis ones.<\/p>\n \u201cOn regards to Taylor Swift, people got their refunds back into their account either through me or banks, which I had to pay back to bank.<\/p>\n \u201c[There] was no money made from this.\u201d<\/p>\n Addressing the allegation that angry customers can now not get hold of him, the seller said: \u201cNo one is stone walled, they can all reach me by mobile.\u201d<\/p>\n A Ticketmaster spokesperson said: \u201cWe strongly urge fans to only buy tickets from official sources and never from individuals on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile our teams are actively investigating this account and doing all they can to prevent this kind of activity, we encourage fans to stay vigilant and avoid unofficial sellers.\u201d<\/p>\n Join the Manchester Evening News <\/strong>WhatsApp<\/strong> group <\/strong>HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Just last month, the M.E.N. reported on a ticket scam<\/a>, where fraudsters hijacked Facebook accounts to dupe desperate fans into spending hundreds, convincing victims they were speaking to someone they knew.<\/p>\n Lloyds Banking Group recently revealed that Oasis fans have lost over \u00a32 million to ticket scams in the past year, with one person losing \u00a31,700 on the band\u2019s reunion tour.<\/p>\n Action Fraud – the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service – says \u00a39,794,034 was lost nationally to ticket fraud last year, up from \u00a36,694,955 in 2023. There were 9,826 ticket fraud reports in 2024, up from 8,719 in 2023.<\/p>\n Victims say a number of reports have been made about this pernicious seller to ActionFraud and the police.<\/p>\n In relation to the Bolton<\/a> woman\u2019s report, Chief Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of Action Fraud and National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), said: \u201cAction Fraud can confirm that it received [this report] on 21 July 2025 and it is currently being assessed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) at the City of London Police.\u201d<\/p>\n Experts are urging people to stay alert for criminals who are trying to sell tickets online or on social media for top events and sold-out concerts this summer.<\/p>\n Claire Webb, acting director of Action Fraud, said those looking for last minute ticket deals must recognise the signs of ticket fraud.<\/p>\n \u201cBeware of fraudsters trying to take advantage by selling fake tickets to popular or sold-out events online or on social media, especially if you receive unsolicited or unexpected messages offering tickets,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cProtect yourself from ticket fraud: ensure you buy your tickets securely by checking for the STAR logo, and using either an official agent, a reputable ticket exchange site or going directly to the venue\u2019s box office. Requests for payment via bank transfer is a sign of fraud: always pay with a credit card if you can. Follow Action Fraud\u2019s advice for more tips on how to protect yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n How to report fraud<\/strong><\/p>\n Report suspicious emails by forwarding it to: report@phishing.gov.uk<\/p>\n Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: https:\/\/stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_HVR_MEN_130825_ticketmaster_3.jpg\")
The seller appears to give instructions about how to pay him for tickets(Image: UGC)<\/p>\n![\"Billie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1_manchester-day1-henryhwu-47.jpg\")
Billie has now completed her run of four gigs at Manchester Co-Op Live Arena(Image: HENRY HWU)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_HVR_MEN_130825_ticketmaster_3_03.jpg\")
The seller appears to have told Ashlea Penty ‘everything fine’, before she was let down over Billie Eilish tickets(Image: UGC)<\/p>\n![\"Oasis](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2_BigBrotherRecordings1.jpg\")
Oasis are currently playing their Live ’25 tour across the UK and Ireland (Image: Big Brother Recordings )<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_HVR_MEN_130825_ticketmaster_3_02.jpg\")
The seller appears to tell the Radcliffe man that the quickest way to get his money back is through his bank after Oasis tickets failed to show(Image: UGC)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_HVR_MEN_130825_ticketmaster.jpg\")
A screenshot showing how much the Bolton woman says she sent to the seller on the promise of tickets(Image: UGC)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_HVR_MEN_130825_ticketmaster2.jpg\")
Customers say the man sent out price lists, claiming he could get tickets to a host of huge acts and events coming to Manchester(Image: UGC)<\/p>\n