BTS fans lose over $100,000 to ticket scammers during comeback tour

BTS fans are facing significant losses, amounting to over $100,000, due to scammers exploiting the high demand for tickets to the band's upcoming Arirang World Tour, their first in over three years. The tour will cover 34 cities from April 2026 to 2027, with demand skyrocketing to 15 times the available tickets in Asia. Among the victims is 26-year-old Vevee from Indonesia, who lost $1,200 on counterfeit VIP seats. Juraluk Kunaruk filed a complaint with the Thai parliament after losing 25,000 baht ($760) alongside 124 others. In Singapore, police have received 62 complaints totaling over S$68,000. Carousell has suspended ticket resales until December 22. Scammers are infiltrating fan groups on social media, offering fake deals and disappearing after payments. Ticketmaster is implementing stricter measures, including AI technology, to combat this issue. Despite the warnings, many fans, like Vevee, are still falling victim. The tour will be the first to hold multiple shows in five Southeast Asian countries, and BTS, along with their label Hybe, is expected to generate nearly $2 billion from this reunion.