How to avoid ticket fraud and why buying from official ticketing websites is so important.
Concerts and live shows continue to thrill and entertain people across Kazakhstan. This year, locals and visitors have already enjoyed major performances by the group Ruki Vverh in Almaty and Astana, a solo concert by Sergey Lazarev, shows by the pop duo Gradusy, artists like Willy William and Zvonkiy as part of the Rahat Fest, and the legendary rock band 30 Seconds to Mars.
And the year is far from over. Kazakhstani audiences are eagerly anticipating performances by global superstars like Jennifer Lopez, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, British pop icon Robbie Williams, and many others. Ticket sales for such events typically open two to three months in advance, giving fans time to budget and plan - especially those traveling from other cities or even countries. In Kazakhstan, the main ticketing platform is Freedom Ticketon.
However, not everyone manages to buy tickets early. When events sell out, many people turn to unofficial sources - private listings on social media or classified ad platforms - where enterprising individuals offer tickets at a premium. These tickets are usually more expensive than the original price, but buyers overlook that in their desire to attend. Unfortunately, many of them fall victim to ticket scams.
Gulnur from Almaty experienced firsthand the frustrations of dealing with a fake ticket seller - and ended up losing both her money and her chance to attend the concert.
“In our case, the tickets for the event we wanted to go to were sold out quickly - it was a very high-demand show. The reseller seemed trustworthy: they sent what looked like real tickets with QR codes, acted polite, and explained everything,” she recalled.
Gulnur emphasized that people often don’t buy from resellers to save money, but because it’s their only chance to attend.
“My friends and I just wanted to treat ourselves. Instead, we became victims of a scam,” she shared.
Her advice? Don’t trust ads or messages about ticket availability on social media or messaging apps - buy only from official platforms.
“Even if someone offers you a ‘discount,’ it’s better to pay a bit more and go through a trusted source than to lose everything,” she warns.
She also points out that once you've transferred money directly to a person, there’s little chance of getting it back.
“The bank told me it was a voluntary transaction made via an unsecured platform. Because of that, a refund wasn't possible,” she said.
Filing a police report is an option, but there's no guarantee the case will be investigated or that the scammers will be caught. In Gulnur’s case, the seller had promised to send the tickets shortly before the concert - but then disappeared. She and her friends never made it to the show.
These situations arise because high demand creates urgency, causing people to let their guard down. According to Svetlana Romanovskaya, Chair of the Eurasian Consumer Union, not all scalpers operate the same way: some buy tickets early and resell them at much higher prices, while others create listings for events that don’t even exist.
She recommends always verifying the event organizer and ticketing platform.
“Legitimate sites typically include the full tour schedule and contact information for support. If there’s no hotline or clear event details, that’s a major red flag,” she said.
And once you’ve bought a fake ticket, getting your money back is nearly impossible.
This view is echoed by representatives from the N. Sats Children and Youth Theater in Almaty.
“You should only buy tickets through official channels - never on the street, through social media, classified ads, or messaging apps,” said Violetta Pechkunova, Head of Ticketing at the theater.
She explained that the main reason people turn to scalpers is ticket shortages for popular performances.
“Sometimes tickets for high-demand shows sell out in hours. After that, scalpers are often the only ones left offering them,” she noted.
But giving in to that temptation comes with serious risks.
“Scalpers often charge several times the original ticket price. And they offer no guarantee of authenticity. You could show up at the venue with a fake ticket and be denied entry. If a show is canceled or rescheduled, there’s no refund on tickets bought unofficially. The theater and organizers don’t take responsibility for those sales,” she warned.
These illegal sales also harm the reputation of venues - even though they have nothing to do with the fraud.
Business Development Director of the OneHub platform, Pavel Ivaniy, also urges people to double-check ticket websites.
“I’ve seen sites where the name differs from the official one by just a single letter. A few of my colleagues fell for that and lost money. Sometimes when you search in Google for ‘buy concert tickets’ or even train or flight tickets, shady aggregators pop up in the results,” he said.
“I once had a bad experience with a suspicious travel agency website. That’s why I always tell people to verify the website, read reviews, and buy only through official platforms,” he added.
Lawyers echo the same message: don’t take the risk. Scalpers often buy tickets in bulk during pre-sales, then jack up prices as the event nears.
“Some scammers even offer fake tickets at a low price. People don’t think twice and end up losing money and their chance to attend,” said legal consultant Alibek Tokebaev.
His recommendation? Plan ahead and purchase tickets only through official websites.
“And if you must buy through a listing, at least try to verify the seller’s identity - ask for ID. Transferring money via a bank app to a Kazakh phone number gives you some advantage. If the ticket turns out to be fake, police can identify the account the money was sent to,” he explained.
The flood of exciting new events is attracting both enthusiastic fans - and opportunistic fraudsters.
@weproject.media
“We always warn users to stay alert before ticket sales open for especially anticipated events. Don’t fall for suspicious emails, unofficial listings, or scam websites. Buying tickets is ultimately your responsibility, and just like you, we want your concert experiences to be 100% positive. Please be careful when buying tickets - your emotions and memories are our most valuable asset,” said Freedom Ticketon CEO Viktoriya Torgunova.
