Scammer targets UEA clubbers with fake Halloween tickets

A fraudster has targeted UEA students with tickets to Saturday’s Halloween LCR.

Robert Clements posted in ‘The Official LCR Ticket Exchange at UEA’ page saying he had five Halloween LCR tickets for sale.

He claimed that the tickets were electronic e-tickets, and that he would email them to buyers to print out.

But students became suspicious when he refused to send them screenshots of the tickets.

He also asked for payment through a ‘Paysafe’ card rather than online banking, raising concerns.

Dotun Bolaji, who approached the seller for a ticket, said: “The guy seemed completely legit at first until I noticed his profile didn’t say he went to UEA, had one picture and how keen he was not to give me a screenshot of the supposed tickets.

“He clearly didn’t want me to send the money through online banking cos he didn’t want to be traced.”

Chris Goodwin, who also messaged the seller, said: “It all seemed fine when he posted – everyone’s looking for tickets. But when you’ve been here for two years and suddenly a guy is advertising a new kind of ticket you know something is up.

“I just hope no freshers got caught out by him.”

A spokesperson for the Union said: “We know that the secondary ticketing market is a huge issue for students when our events sell out and people try to sell our tickets back to students at inflated prices. It’s even worse when that market includes unscrupulous sharks trying to defraud students by selling tickets that don’t exist.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there are no e-tickets for LCR or Waterfront club nights or gigs, and anyone claiming anything else is lying.

“Following feedback from students, the student officers have commissioned a review of our Box Office operation, and as well at looking at opening hours and pricing, we’re looking at measures like electronic ticketing linked to campus cards and lobbying through NUS and other trade groups on the secondary ticketing market.

“We’ll also be reviewing the way we moderate the ticket exchange process and putting out clear warnings to students to avoid them being ripped off.

“Most of all, we’re looking to make sure that our most popular events can accommodate even more of our members through changes to Union House next year.”