Desperate To See BTS? Fans Duped Out Of $100,000 In Concert Ticket Scam

For BTS fans across South East Asia, the group's reunion tour was meant to be the moment years of waiting finally paid off. Instead, for many, it has ended in heartbreak and empty bank accounts.

With demand for tickets running far beyond supply, scammers have seized on the frenzy surrounding the Arirang World Tour, duping fans out of more than $100,000, roughly £74,000, across the region.

From Indonesia and Thailand to Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, fans who had spent years saving for the chance to see the seven-member K-pop group have found themselves caught in elaborate ticket scams after failing to secure seats through official channels.

Some were promised help joining online queues, others were sold supposed VIP packages or discounted tickets through social media. In case after case, the pattern was the same: money was transferred, communication stopped, and the tickets never arrived.

Missed Out on a BTS Ticket? Scammers Can Target You Next

For Vevee, a 26-year-old BTS fan from Jakarta, the ordeal reportedly began with what she thought would be a routine fight for concert tickets. She logged on to Ticketmaster on 9 June and, like countless other fans, prepared herself for a long day. She had even taken time off work in the hope of finally getting to see BTS perform in her home city.

But after waiting in the queue for hours, she was told tickets had sold out. More rounds of sales followed, and each time she tried again, only to miss out once more. 'It felt impossible because the demand was just too crazy,' she told the BBC.

Determined not to miss the chance, Vevee turned to X, where she found an account offering resold tickets. She paid $1,200, around £890, for four VIP seats, a sum she said was worth about two months of her salary at a logistics firm. As soon as the payment went through, the seller vanished.

'Right after I sent the money, they ghosted me. It's horrible. I am so sad and heartbroken,' she said.

Her experience was far from isolated. Across South East Asia, fans have lost more than $100,000, or roughly £74,000, in similar scams linked to BTS tickets. In Singapore alone, police have received at least 62 complaints involving BTS concert tickets since 1 June, with reported losses exceeding S$68,000, which is around £39,000. In Malaysia, police said they had received 28 reports from people who claimed they had been cheated while trying to buy tickets.

In Thailand, the problem has grown large enough to reach parliament. Juraluk Kunaruk lodged a complaint on behalf of 125 victims who had each transferred hundreds of dollars to the same X user after being promised help securing good seats. The account disappeared on the day tickets went on sale.

Juraluk said she had watched the account for some time and believed it was trustworthy because it had plenty of reviews and followers. She lost 25,000 baht, about £560, after paying for what she believed were VIP packages. 'I had been observing this account for quite some time... They have many reviews and followers, so they looked reliable. The prices were reasonable too,' she said.

How Authorities, Ticketing Platforms Are Responding

The scale of demand for BTS tickets helps explain why so many fans have taken risks they might otherwise have avoided. The group's Arirang World Tour, which began in April and runs into 2027, includes 88 shows across 34 cities.

In South East Asia, BTS are staging multiple shows in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, making the tour especially important for fans in the region.

The BBC understands that the number of people trying to get tickets in Asia exceeded available seats by 15 times. New dates have continued to be added because of the demand, including third shows in Jakarta and Bulacan. Ticket prices in the region range from $100 to $300, or around £74 to £220, with the highest-priced packages offering premium seating, soundcheck access, and merchandise.

That intense competition has pushed some fans into the hands of scammers offering false hope. Some have promised lower prices or exclusive access, while others claimed they could help people 'wait in line' online. In some cases, scammers even used 'power of attorney forms' to make their offers seem legitimate.

Platforms and authorities have tried to respond. Carousell has suspended ticket resales on its platform until 22 December, the date of BTS' final show in Singapore. Malaysian police say they are working to trace the mule accounts involved in ticket fraud.

Ticketmaster, which is handling sales for the tour in many countries, said it has strengthened its anti-scalping measures with new AI technology and stricter rules.

According to a Ticketmaster spokeswoman, tickets will be verified against concertgoers' email addresses, and fans holding resold tickets could be refused entry. She said fans should 'only ever purchase tickets through official sources' and added that 'the artist's website will always be able to point fans in the right direction'.

Even with those warnings, many fans are still taking chances after failing to get tickets through official channels. Cookie, a 30-year-old customer service associate in the Philippines, turned to a reseller after missing out twice. She said she had checked the seller's Facebook account, including where she studied and where she was from, before sending payment. It made no difference. After she paid, the seller blocked her and disappeared.

'I feel ashamed. I didn't even tell my family or my closest friends what happened,' Cookie said. 'I don't want to be judged or hear [them say] "you're dumb". It was a desperate move since I really wanted to be there.'

For Vevee, the story eventually had a happier ending. After losing money in the scam, she decided to keep trying through official channels when a new Jakarta date was added. She failed again in the pre-sale and ended up in tears, but she and her friends came up with a new plan for the general sale, splitting up across the city and using different internet connections and accounts. This time, she got the tickets.

After weeks of stress, disappointment, and one costly mistake, she finally secured the spot she had been chasing all along.