Radiohead have called out ticket resale platforms after more than 1,000 potentially fake tickets for their upcoming European tour appeared online before the official sale had even begun.
The band, set to perform in London, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, and Bologna, had already introduced strict anti-tout measures. Fans were asked to register for an unlock code before tickets went on sale, part of an effort to block scalpers from inflating prices.
Despite this, resale sites like Viagogo and Ticombo advertised seats at sky-high prices, with one Swiss reseller listing £22,000 worth of tickets for a single London show. Many of these offers are suspected to be “speculative listings,” where sellers advertise tickets they don’t actually own.
“Radiohead have always strived to protect their audience from exploitative ticket touts which, in the absence of robust government legislation, becomes increasingly challenging,” said the band’s manager, Julie Calland.
Calland urged fans to avoid resale sites altogether:
“Fans will be encouraged to stay away from secondary sites… tickets that for the most part, don’t actually exist.”
Ticket security expert Reg Walker echoed those concerns, saying bluntly:
“The tickets do not exist. It’s a clear breach of the Consumer Rights Act, which is designed to protect consumers from fraud.”
Ticombo initially defended its listings but removed them after media inquiries, claiming it “merely provides a technology platform.” Worldtix AG, the Swiss company behind many of the offers, insisted it was only an intermediary.
Meanwhile, Viagogo dismissed Radiohead’s policy as “anti-competitive,” claiming resale is legal and serves fans who miss out on official sales.
The UK government has pledged to crack down on touting, with proposals for a 30% cap on resale mark-ups, far below the 200% limit suggested by lobbyists tied to Ticombo. A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said:
“Too often rip-off touts are ruining the gig-going experience. We are committed to clamping down on this activity.”
For now, Radiohead’s message is simple: buy only from official sources, or risk losing money on tickets that may never exist.
