STAR Mark For Ticket Buyers

The latest and umpteenth initiative to educate concert ticket buyers to be careful when purchasing online comes from STAR, the Society of Ticket Agencies and Retailers.

The ticket-sellers group has liaised with all sectors of the business to prepare a strategy to reduce ticket fraud and inform fans of the safest places to buy tickets.

Following talks with the major ticket agencies, venues and organisations including the Concert Promoters’ Association, the National Arenas Association and the Society of London Theatre, STAR has launched a new kitemark that identifies reputable ticket outlets that adhere to its code of conduct and have the event organiser’s authority to sell the tickets.

The scheme has the backing of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Office of Fair Trading and the police.
STAR’s research revealed that one of the reasons the number of ticket fraud victims is increasing is that ticket buyers seem unaware of what measures they can take to protect themselves.

It also found that one in 10 people would buy from a website if it “looks genuine.” About the same number admitted to never even considering to check the ticket outlet’s authenticity.

“By introducing a ticketing industry kitemark, much like the trusted ABTA symbol consumers see when they book with reputable holiday companies, we can give the buyer confidence that they are getting the genuine article,” said STAR spokesman Jonathan Brown.

STAR reckons the instantly recognisable kitemark should help to bring about a crackdown on ticket fraudsters who claim more than 500,000 British victims every year.

The government’s National Fraud Authority estimates that the cost of online ticket fraud alone is about £168 million a year.