Originally published: SecurityBrief Australia, 11 December 2025
One in five Australians has been scammed while buying tickets online, losing an average of $432 per incident, according to new national research commissioned by PayPal Australia.
The study highlights the financial and emotional impact of fake or undelivered tickets as the country moves into its peak season for concerts, sport and festivals.
The research surveyed 1,021 Australians aged 18 to 75. It found that 20% had missed out on events after purchasing fraudulent or non-existent tickets online. Almost one in ten respondents said they had been scammed more than once.
Victims typically lost between $100 and $499. This loss range applied to 48% of those who reported being scammed. The average loss across all incidents was $432.
Younger consumers reported the largest individual losses. Among Gen Z and Millennial victims, 15% said they had lost $750 or more. No respondents aged over 45 reported losses at this level.
Only a small proportion of those caught out by scams avoided financial loss. The research found that just 6% of scammed buyers did not lose money because they had used a payment method with buyer protection.
PayPal said the findings show a gap between consumer awareness of scam risks and the payment methods they choose. The company said this gap leaves many buyers exposed when they purchase tickets through resale channels or unverified platforms.
The research was conducted by Pureprofile on behalf of PayPal over three days in early October. The results indicate that scam trends are likely to remain a concern as summer events continue and more high-demand tickets go on sale.
