Hackers make over R10 million in Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket scam – Reports

Two hackers have been arrested in New York for allegedly stealing nearly 1 000 concert tickets, many of which were for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and reselling them.

The hackers reportedly made $600 000 (approximately R10.8 million) before they were arrested on Thursday, 27 February.

According to Variety, prosecutors from the Queens County District Attorney’s Office in New York said the suspects manipulated a third-party ticketing system to gain access to already purchased tickets.

They revealed that one of the arrested suspects and a third accomplice, who has since passed away, were employees of Sunderland, a third-party contractor for the ticketing platform StubHub in Kingston, Jamaica.

They allegedly used their access to StubHub’s system to steal ticket links meant for legitimate buyers and redirected them to the other accomplice.

These stolen tickets, which also included those for Ed Sheeran and Adele concerts, were then resold on StubHub between June 2022 and July 2023.

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Hackers charged

The suspects have reportedly been charged with grand larceny, computer tampering, conspiracy, and fraud.

“According to the charges, these defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift’s concert tour and other high-profile events to profit at the expense of others.

“They allegedly exploited a loophole through an offshore ticket vendor to steal tickets to the biggest concert tour of the last decade and then resold those seats for an extraordinary profit of more than $600 000,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement.

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