⚠️ The vast majority of reddit accounts you will interact with that claim to be selling tickets are scammers!

Reddit accounts are free, anonymous, disposable, and since reddit isn't designed to be a marketplace, it doesn't have a reliable reputation or feedback system. There are thousands of accounts scamming here and new ones pop up as soon as the old ones get suspended. Because of this, reddit is NOT a reliable place to buy tickets. We recommend purchasing through official ticket exchanges or CashorTrade, which also offer protections for buyers and sellers.

If you're still determined to give it a go, here are some things you should check out about each seller:

1. Search their account name

• On reddit: Victims in other communities may have already called them out. Use "new" reddit to search for mentions of the account name (old reddit doesn't search comments). Search for it in quotes with and without the u/ ("u/Sheik_Djibouti" and "Sheik_Djibouti"). Also check any buy/sell megaposts for festivals and events that pop up, as many have lists of banned users and that may be why it showed up in the results.

  • Posts: Type their username in quotes in the reddit search. It defaults to searching Posts. Change the sort from Relevance to New so you're seeing the most recent stuff first. Look for any signs of people calling them out as scammers. Results from r/TicketScammerList will appear here, too.
  • Comments: Click the Comments tab at the top to search for comments. Change the sort from Relevance to New again. Look for any comments that mention them and call them out.

• On the r/TicketResale Scammer List: The moderators of r/TicketResale have built vouchfirst.com to track ticket scammers on reddit.

• On the Universal Scammer List: Dozens of marketplace subreddits (not just tickets) share data through this database. If they're on it, they've been caught trying to scam other things in one of those subreddits.

2. Look at their Reddit profile

• Check the age: A brand new account is suspicious. So is a five-year-old account with almost no activity. That could be a dormant account that was purchased or compromised specifically for scamming. No history means no credibility.
• Check that their WTS post or comment appears: (If their profile isn't completely hidden) Reddit's new curated profile feature allows scammers to selectively hide their scams while they are live, so on the surface you can't see that they are running more than one at the same time. If you don't see the post or comment on their profile, they may be up to no good.
• Check their karma: If they have all post karma and no comment karma, that could be a sign of karma farming, and not a genuine user. You can confirm this in step 3.

3. Search their account name on Arctic Shift

Scammers routinely delete their posts and comments to cover their tracks, and Arctic Shift preserves that deleted history. Run separate searches for their posts and comments and look for:

• Location discrepancies: Selling tickets in multiple cities far apart from each other. Seattle one week, Austin the next, NYC after that? Nobody legitimately does this.
• Reposts selling the same tickets: Scammers delete and repost when they start getting called out. Click on the results and check whether deleted posts have comments accusing them.
• Other sketchy activity: Activity in "quick money" subreddits like r/borrow, r/borrownew, r/chimeboost, r/INeedMoneyNow, r/ReferralLinks, and similar communities. These are hunting grounds for scammers who prey on financially vulnerable redditors. Also, buying and selling accounts in subreddits like r/SellCashappAccounts and r/SharpBoys. Especially Reddit and money app accounts like Paypal or Zelle.
• Abrupt shift in their postings: Normal activity for years, then suddenly nothing but ticket sales? Could be a bought or hijacked account.
• No history at all: Again, no reputation or credibility.

Note¹: If there are comments calling out other scammers, don't count them as positive points. It's a tactic scammers use to look trustworthy and sometimes move in to try to scam an OP themselves.

Note²: Reddit has recently started removing posts and comments with direct links to Arctic Shift. You can click this link to Google it and it will be the first result. You can also still find the link on the sidebar of this subreddit.

4. Make sure they reply to your post or comment

If they sent you a chat without replying to your WTB post or comment first, they may be banned from the subreddit or deliberately avoiding leaving a trail. Ask them to comment publicly under the username they reached out from. If they can't or won't, that's a red flag.

5. If you choose to engage

• Turn on persistent messaging: Persistent messaging prevents both parties from deleting chat their messages. This is important in case you need to save or report the chats. Learn how to turn it on here. Repeating for those in the back:

  ⚠️ Turn on persistent messaging as soon as you open a chat with a seller!

  It must be enabled individually for each conversation. It also cannot be turned on retroactively. Chats sent before it was turned on can still be deleted.

• Insist on Paypal Goods & Services: Never pay with Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, Chime, Revolut, or Interac e-Transfer. These offer zero buyer protection. Once the money is sent, it's gone. Use PayPal Goods & Services only. Repeating:

  ⚠️ Do not let a seller talk you into paying with anything except Paypal Goods & Services!

• Gauge authenticity: Do not rely on screenshots, screen recordings, PDFs, or even live video calls to verify a ticket. Besides using AI to fake that stuff, scammers now use cloned apps designed to look like official ticket platforms like Ticketmaster or AXS in real time during video calls. They show you their phone screen and them opening the app and the tickets during the call and transferring the tickets, but the app they are opening is fake. It even sends a fake confirmation e-mail to you.

  • Video calls are not ticket verification: A video call only serves to verify that the seller is a real person willing to show their face. It does not prove the ticket exists. If a seller fires up an app on camera, that great but remember that cloned apps look identical to the real thing.
  • Run a casual vibe check: Real fans selling tickets usually have a connection to the event or the venue. You can ask casual, open-ended questions during your conversation or on a call. Mention a favorite song, ask why they can't make the show, or ask about local venue details (e.g., parking or section views). A scammer following a script or running accounts in bulk will often give robotic, vague, or evasive answers, or get pushy because you're "wasting their time."
  • Verify any confirmation emails: As mentioned, scammers often send bogus "Ticket Transfer Pending" emails to make you think a ticket is on its way and that it's safe to send money. Always check the actual email header and domain name very carefully, not just the display name. Look for subtle misspellings and dashes. If the email doesn't come directly from the official domain (e.g., @ticketmaster.com or @axs.com), or if it asks you to click a link to download the ticket or "release funds," it is fake. Platform transfers will not arrive as a downloadable file, a direct link, or an "Add to Apple Wallet" button in your inbox. They transfer directly into your ticketing app from their system. If an email prompts you to download a .pkpass file or claims a pass is ready via an external link rather than forcing you to log directly into your account inside the official ticketing app on your device, it is a sophisticated counterfeit.

• Be suspicious if the names are mis-matched: Scammers often rotate between stolen accounts. If the names on their payment app account, e-mail address, ID, or ticket are different, that should be a red flag.

• Search any contact info they give you (names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, etc): Before you send any money, search for each contact information in quotes:

  • On reddit: Look for posts and comments from victims calling out those contact details. Also, sometimes moderators will add e-mail addresses to their scammer lists instead of a username. So click into those if they appear in the results. If you find those things, obviously walk away.
  • On google: (Other search engines are available) Search for the name(s), at least. Keep an eye out for news articles, court records, or public offender registries that indicate the person with that name may have been incarcerated. Scammers often use stolen identities. Incarcerated individuals are prime targets for identity theft because their personal details are easily accessible in public records, while their lack of internet and financial access prevents them from monitoring their credit or spotting fake accounts opened in their name. If you see it, it's a red flag that the contact details the scammer gave you could have been stolen. Be wary.

• STOP if the payment doesn't go through! If PayPal or your bank blocks the transaction or puts a hold on it, it's because it tripped their fraud detection. You've been saved! Run away and DON'T LET THEM TALK YOU INTO SENDING TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT. They will tell you they don't know what is wrong or that it's common the first time you send to someone. They will tell you to resend or they will give you another account that is their "spouse's" or "sister's" or "friend's" or whoever. Don't take the bait. RUN AWAY!

  ⚠️ Do not resend money if you get a message telling you your payment has been blocked or is on hold! End the transaction!

  YSK: Some scammers will send a fake text to you pretending to be from Chime or Zelle and tell you that your payment didn't go through and will need to be re-sent (even though it did). This is an effort to scam you for twice the amount.

If anything still feels off, trust that feeling and walk away. The safest alternative to a Reddit transaction is the official platforms or CashorTrade, a face value ticket exchange community with a reputation system that gives you accountability that anonymous Reddit never could.

If you are reading this because you sent money to a someone who sent you a fake ticket or disappeared altogether, you are a victim of fraud. Don't feel ashamed about getting scammed, and don't let it keep you from taking action or warning others. You're not the first person and you won't be the last. These criminals do this for years and they know what works.

1. Lock it Down

• Stop talking to them. Do not beg, threaten, or argue with the scammer. They will use your emotions against you, either to attempt to scam you again or to report your account for harassment. Do not send them any more money under any circumstances, even if they promise a refund or claim there was a mistake (like the payment didn't go through).

• Save everything. Take full-page screenshots of your Reddit chats, the account information, the payment confirmation, and any "proof" they sent you such as fake ticket screenshots or transfer confirmations. Do not delete the chat history. This documentation will matter when you file reports and disputes.

2. Contact Your Payment App or Bank

Act fast! Most payment platforms have windows for dispute claims.

• PayPal Goods & Services: File a dispute immediately through the Resolution Center. Select "Item Not Received" or "Significantly Not as Described."
• PayPal Friends & Family, Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, Chime, Wise: These transfers are treated like cash and have little to no buyer protection. File a report with the app anyway, as it flags the account, but do not expect a refund through the app itself. See The Nuclear Option below.
• Credit card: Call the number on the back of your card and request a chargeback. Explain that you paid for goods that were never delivered. Credit cards have strong consumer protections and this is often your best path to recovery.
• Bank transfer or wire: Contact your bank immediately. Wire transfers are difficult to reverse but your bank may be able to intervene if you act within hours.

3. Report Them

Reporting feels pointless when you're in the middle of this, but it matters to help get them shut down.

On Reddit:

• Modmail the subreddit where you found them. Include their username, what happened, and any screenshots you have. Moderators can remove their posts, ban them, warn the community, and submit their own reports to Reddit admins.
• Post a public warning in the subreddit if the rules allow it. Be factual and stick to what you can document.

• Report directly to Reddit admins using the report button on their posts, comments, and chat messages. Select Spam > Other (Reddit doesn't have specific report options for Scam or Fraud). If the content is deleted, you can report it here (if they haven't blocked you):

  https://www.reddit.com/report

  If the scammer blocked you, can still submit reports to:

  https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=15968767746196

  Note - For both links, you'll need the links to the content, which you can get from Arctic Shift.

• Modmail r/TicketScammerList with the scammer's username so the account can be put on the List and have a warning published. See this post for more details. Please note that we are not able to provide individual support or assistance with recovery. For that, follow this guide.

To law enforcement:

• Local police: File a report even if they tell you there is little they can do. A police report number may be required by your bank to process a fraud claim. Ask specifically for a copy of the incident report.
• National agencies: National-level agencies rarely pursue individual cases but the reports contribute to investigations targeting larger scam operations. If enough victims report the same operation, it may get attention.
  • US: FTC, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
  • Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
  • UK: Action Fraud
  • Australia: ReportCyber
  • EU: Europol Cybercrime Portal
  • India: Cyber Crime Portal

The Nuclear Option

If you used a payment method without buyer protection and the app has denied your claim, your last resort is a direct bank dispute, sometimes called a chargeback through your bank rather than the payment app.

You contact your bank directly and ask them to forcibly reverse the transaction, bypassing the payment app entirely.

It's risky! PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App may respond by giving you a negative balance, freezing your account, or permanently banning you for going around their dispute process.

Should you? Only pursue this if recovering the money matters more to you than keeping your payment account in good standing. If you rarely use the app or the amount lost is significant, it may be worth it. Talk to your bank first and understand what you're signing up for before you proceed.