Consumer Launch of STAR Kitemark

14 October 2011

Industry kitemark launched as unscrupulous ticket fraudsters prey on Brits

Did you know that one in 10 people in the UK have been affected by ticket fraud?

It's a staggering number isn't it? The figure was revealed during research carried out by STAR, the Society of Ticket Agencies and Retailers.

In an attempt to combat the crime, STAR has launched a new industry kitemark that will be displayed by reputable ticket outlets.

The research also revealed that one of the reasons the number of victims is worryingly high is that ticket buyers seem unaware of what measures they can take to protect themselves.

And people splashing out to see their favourite performers are often putting themselves at risk - one in 10 say they would buy from a website if it "looks genuine", and another 10 per cent stated that they have never even considered checking the ticket outlet's authenticity. It is estimated that the cost of online ticket fraud alone is a staggering £168million a year.

Ticket outlets that adhere to STAR's code of conduct, and are authorised to sell tickets by event organisers, will carry the instantly recognisable kitemark. It should help to bring about a crackdown on ticket fraudsters who claim more than half a million British victims every year. The consequences of buying a fraudulent ticket can be devastating for the buyer and there is usually nowhere to turn to when things go wrong.

"By introducing a ticketing industry kitemark, much like the trusted ABTA symbol consumers see when they book with reputable holiday companies, we can give the buyerconfidence that they are getting the genuine article," Jonathan added.

STAR was formed in 1997 to establish industry standards and offer advice to the publicabout buying genuine tickets safely.