Dozens of Taylor Swift fans in Ontario reported being scammed. Expert says ticket-sale monopolies are to blame

A ticket scam involving Taylor Swift's concerts in southern Ontario has left many fans devastated and out of pocket, with a legal expert suggesting such fraud will persist unless changes are made to Ticketmaster's dominance over major event ticketing in North America.

Multiple individuals reported paying for what they believed were legitimate tickets to one of Taylor Swift’s six Toronto shows but never received them. The tickets were allegedly purchased from a single reseller, a woman based in Burlington, Ontario.

Fraud Targets High-Demand Events

"The hotter the ticket, the bigger the draw for scammers," said Daniel Tsai, a lecturer in business and law at the University of Toronto. He pointed to Ticketmaster’s monopoly, including its control over resale platforms, as a major factor forcing consumers into unsafe secondary markets like online classifieds and social media.

"We have a situation where consumers don’t really have a choice," Tsai explained. "Out of desperation, they turn to sources with little security, where they can be exploited."

Police Investigating Widespread Scam

The Halton Regional Police Service reported receiving over 40 complaints about Taylor Swift ticket fraud since last Thursday, amounting to approximately $70,000 in losses. Toronto police also noted over 150 similar complaints, including around 40 in the past week, some tied to the Burlington reseller.

No charges have yet been filed.

Heartbroken Fans

Burlington resident Alaina Attard shared her experience of being scammed after purchasing two tickets for $1,050 as a Christmas gift for her teenage daughter. Attard had initially trusted the reseller, who was vouched for by a mutual acquaintance.

As the concert approached, Attard was informed that the tickets were unavailable and the transaction was a scam. "I was absolutely gutted," she said, adding that her daughter was devastated by the news.

Attard later discovered many others had been similarly defrauded, with multiple buyers unknowingly sold the same seats.

"There are people with incredibly personal stories tied to these tickets—individuals celebrating milestones or recovering from hardships. This scam has hurt so many people," Attard said.

Calls for Regulation

Another victim, Melinda Tarantino from Burlington, spent over $3,000 on four tickets. She has since heard from nearly 160 others claiming to have bought approximately 420 fraudulent tickets from the same reseller.

Tsai advocates for stronger provincial and federal regulations to counter monopolies in ticketing and protect consumers. He proposed introducing fixed prices for resale tickets, similar to policies in parts of Europe. "We could reform our laws to ensure tickets are sold at fair prices, avoiding situations where scams ruin someone’s dream of seeing their hero in concert," he said.

A Silver Lining for One Fan

Not all stories ended in disappointment. Namita Sapra, who lost $970 per ticket in the scam, was surprised by her brother in the United Kingdom, who managed to secure last-minute tickets for her.

"I just bawled," Sapra said, recalling the emotional moment she received the tickets and made it to the concert in time. "It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me."

Taylor Swift’s six sold-out Toronto concerts will conclude this weekend, with her final three Canadian shows scheduled in Vancouver next month.