I bought a concert or festival ticket and it looks fake. What do I do?

First, breathe. A second-hand ticket isn’t necessarily fake — but it’s worth checking before you pay, not after. The safest option is a resale through the official platform, where the ticket is transferred to your name. If the seller avoids that, it’s a sign.

First steps, right now

Check the ticket at the source: go to the official ticketing platform and see whether that code or order is valid. A QR code can be sold multiple times — the truth only shows at the scan, at the entrance.
If you paid by card, call your bank and ask for a chargeback; if you paid by bank transfer, ask for a payment recall.
Gather the evidence: the ad, the conversation, proof of payment and the seller's details. Don't delete them.
File a complaint with the police and, if the seller is a business, a complaint with ANPC (Romania's consumer protection authority).

What NOT to do

Don't buy tickets by direct bank transfer from strangers in Facebook groups.
Don't rely on a "photo of their ID card" sent by the seller as proof of trust — it's easy to fake.
Don't pay before checking that the ticket can be officially transferred to your name.

How to spot it next time

A price below the official one, plus pressure: "I have other buyers, send the money now".
A new seller, with no history, asking for payment in advance by bank transfer or Revolut.
They refuse to resell through the official platform (where the ticket would be safely transferred to your name).
They only send you a photo or a PDF with a QR code — which may already be used or sold to someone else too.

This guide is meant to help you act fast. It does not replace official instructions from your bank, the police or the authorities. When in doubt, call the numbers above.