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Deepline | Away from fake tickets! 8 arrested after online sale of counterfeit concert tickets involving HK$650,000

Deepline
2025.06.19 19:00
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With Jay Chou's concert scheduled to take place next week at Kai Tak Sports Park, police have recently received multiple reports of counterfeit ticket scams. In an operation conducted over the past two days, authorities dismantled an organized cross-boundary syndicate selling fake concert tickets, arresting five men and three women (aged 20 to 44).

Police seized 52 'high-quality counterfeit tickets' for concerts, including Jay Chou's, with the criminal group even displaying forged QR codes and fake official purchase records to gain buyers' trust. Preliminary investigations suggest the group is linked to at least 40 similar cases involving over HK$650,000 in fraudulent proceeds, with one victim losing more than HK$68,000. The syndicate is also believed to have produced fake tickets for concerts by Nicholas Tse, JJ Lin, G-Dragon, Mayday, and Dear Jane.

During yesterday's briefing, police explained that since Kai Tak Sports Park opened in March this year and began hosting numerous concerts and major sporting events, they had noticed increased ticket sales activity on online platforms. Between April and May, police received reports from citizens who purchased what were claimed to be "scalper tickets" at inflated prices on unofficial platforms, only to later discover they were counterfeit, resulting in financial losses.

Scammers employed tactics such as "limited-time discounts," "limited ticket availability," and "no deposit required, meet in person for exchange," while demonstrating unreliable ticket verification methods to gain buyers' trust and complete quick cash or bank transfer transactions. Victims only realized they had been scammed when attempting to enter venues with the fake tickets.

Arrested individuals claimed to be 'engineers'

Through intelligence analysis and reviewing CCTV footage under the "SmartView" program, the police identified the syndicate. Undercover officers posing as buyers successfully arrested eight individuals, including one mastermind, two core members, and five lower-level couriers. Those arrested claimed occupations including engineers, computer programmers, and the unemployed. They face charges including conspiracy to defraud, possession of false instruments, obtaining property by deception, and money laundering.

The operation seized 52 high-quality counterfeit tickets, with 40 found on the suspects. Exhibits included tickets for Jay Chou's concerts (June 27-29) and Nicholas Tse's concert (April 27), with a total face value approaching HK$100,000.

Three-step scam operation

Investigations revealed the criminal group operated in three stages: First, the mastermind would post ads or listings on multiple social media platforms, uploading low-resolution ticket images with partial obscuring to make verification difficult. Meanwhile, accomplices mass-produced counterfeit tickets at mainland factories before smuggling them to Hong Kong for sale. Core members were responsible for recruiting couriers to conduct face-to-face transactions with buyers.

During transactions, couriers would demonstrate fake verification methods, even providing forged QR codes or doctored order screenshots showing seat numbers and fake purchase records to gain buyers' trust.

Money laundering uncovered

Financial investigations revealed that some suspects' accounts were used for money laundering, with amounts ranging from HK$600,000 to over HK$10 million. Police noted the seized counterfeit tickets closely resembled genuine ones in font, security features, and paper quality, but the most obvious flaw was the merged phrase "atthe" instead of "at the" in the English terms and conditions on the ticket backs.

Police reminded the public purchasing tickets on online platforms to first verify seller backgrounds by checking phone numbers, bank accounts, and page names, while paying attention to buyer reviews and account registration dates. Accounts created recently, with negative feedback or no transaction history, require extra caution.

Authorized ticketing platform Cityline expressed support for police action, with a spokesperson confirming their physical tickets feature anti-counterfeiting measures including holographic labels, invisible UV ink, special paper, and fonts. They urged the public to only purchase through official channels and avoid unauthorized platforms to prevent falling victim to ticket scams.

How to Identify Genuine Concert Tickets?

  1. Holographic label: Reflective patch on the ticket's top-right corner

  2. UV ink printing: Hidden markings are visible under UV light

  3. Special paper/fonts: Smoother texture and sharper print than counterfeits

(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Siu; English Editor: Darius)

Related News:

Yellow turns green: Coldplay tickets become a goldmine for scalpers

Jay Chou's team denies gambling allegations amid viral rumors of 'top-tier star' losing RMB 1 bn in Macao

Tag:·concert ticket· fake ticket· counterfeit· Jay Chow· G-Dragon· Mayday

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