Two British fans who fell victim to a Taylor Swift ticket scam are speaking out.
The "Fortnight" singer is set to start the U.K. leg of her Eras tour in June and the demand for tickets has led some to fall for scams. According to a recent report by Lloyds Bank, fans have lost more than $1.2 million in scams tied to the tour dates.
Two of those victims recently shared their experience with BBC Radio WM after losing nearly $1,500 between them.
Gemma Moore, who lives in the Birmingham suburb Rubery, tried to purchase tickets from a friend of a friend on Facebook, but it turned out to be a scam that cost her nearly $1,000. Although the seller's account looked legit, it turned out had been hacked by a scammer.
"We had a conversation and sent the money then all of sudden we were blocked," Moore told the BBC.
Making matters worse - the tickets were meant to be a gift for her daughter's 18th birthday.
"I thought I would justify spending [the money] because it would be a real treat for her," Moore told the outlet. "We've totally been scammed."
Another fan, Amanda Beasley from Stourbridge in the West Midlands of England, was also tricked by scammers.
She lost nearly $500 when she attempted to buy tickets for her daughter's 21st birthday.
Beasley told the BBC she discovered something was wrong after she sent the money via PayPal. After she complained, Beasley said the bogus seller "literally sent me a scripted message saying 'hi' and in brackets 'her name'. They forgot to insert my name."
The mother shared her heartbreak over the incident. "I thought she was actually going to be able to go," Beasley told the BBC. "It's really upsetting that she's missing out on that now. I wish I hadn't told her we got the tickets."
Sadly, Moore and Beasley aren't alone. Lloyds Bank said that more than 600 customers have reported being scammed in the U.K., with some victims paying more than $1,200 for tickets that don't exist.
