Arrest made after fans at Bingley Music Live hit by fake festival wristband scam

Police have made an arrest after a number of fans were hit by a fake festival ticket and wristband scam at this weekend’s Bingley Music Live.

Headlined by Manic Street Preachers, Kaiser Chiefs and The Wombats, the festival at Myrtyle Park in West Yorkshire this weekend has seen a number of music fans left empty handed after being targeted by fraudsters.

A local 15-year-year-old boy told The Telegraph And Argus that he and around 30 of his friends had bought wristbands online two weeks ago, before arriving on site to discover they were fake.

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“I had no idea at all it may be a scam,” he said. “I paid £75 for an adult weekend ticket two weeks ago but I believe some have paid £50 and others £80. I am absolutely furious about it. It is a lot of money to lose. The website seemed genuine. We got email confirmation and everything.

The teen added: “We were told the wristbands would get us into the festival and we would pick up tickets inside. But when we tried to get in the organisers stopped us and told us the wristbands were fake. Police already on site were alerted to it and the guy we got them from was arrested and handcuffed.”

Writing on their Facebook page on Friday, the festival said “please also note, we are aware of counterfeit selling outside the festival. Please do not buy tickets from unofficial vendors!”

A police spokesman added: “There are a number of fake/stolen wristbands in circulation which are being sold in Bingley. People with only the wristbands and not a ticket will be refused entry at the gates.”

⚠️ | We have now completely sold out of Friday tickets, which means there are absolutely no tickets left in the box…

Posted by Bingley Music Live on Friday, September 1, 2017

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Police have since confirmed that a man in his forties from Manchester has been arrested on suspicion of fraud in relation to the sale of fake wristbands.

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