Fans of the rock band Mötley Crüe have allegedly been scammed out of $60,000 (£37,900) by a fake concert promoter.
News site Tempo Interactive are reporting that more than 1,500 tickets were purchased for a non-existent show that had been billed as the band’s first ever gig in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Jakarta Globe newspaper had reported on September 21 that Mötley Crüe would be coming to Indonesia on October 8, causing fans to purchase tickets for $40 (£25) from music promoter MLive, until members of the band discredited the story.
Drummer Tommy Lee took to Twitter to reveal that they did not have a scheduled a show in the Indonesian capital, writing:
Not sure why these guys have pre-sale tickets on their site! There is NO Jakarta show!!!
Mötley Crüe then issued a statement on their official website confirming that they had no current plans to play in Jakarta. “The band distances itself from any such announcements, as no agreements for a show at the Pantai Karnival in Jakarta or anywhere else in the county were ever made,” it read.
“Mötley Crüe advises its fans that any concert rumours are false, and to be wary of any vendors advertising ticket sales.”
According to the Jakarta Globe, MLive chief executive Astri Darmawanti has pledged that the company will refund all of the tickets sold, and that 100 customers have already been reimbursed.
Darmawanti, who also claimed that the show had been scheduled before the band cancelled the date, added: “I am now destroyed. This has turned into an attack against me personally. Even those who didn’t buy the tickets are saying bad things.”
Mötley Crüe released their ninth studio album, ‘Saints Of Los Angeles’, in 2008. The band’s frontman Vince Neil was reportedly charged with domestic violence and disorderly conduct in April of this year.
In July, meanwhile, it was reported that Lee and Poison singer Brett Michaels could face gun charges after they were photographed visiting a shooting range, as at least one of them has a criminal record which prevents them from operating a gun legally.