U2 fans hoping to see their heroes play in Europe have been stung by a simple ticketing scam.
Tickets for a show at the Amsterdam Arena this summer were advertised and sold through website LatestEvents.com, part of a London firm called Total Entertainment Ltd. The £199 fee included tickets, travel and accommodation. However, U2 were never booked to play the Amsterdam Arena. After announcing the “cancellation” of the gig, Total Entertainment subtracted £17.50 from each package sold for their “insurance fee.”
The scam has enraged U2. John Giddings, the band’s global tour manager, said he feels severe action should be taken against those responsible.
“These unscrupulous people were taking deposits for a tour that didn’t exist,” he told The Daily Mirror. “One had been considered – no more than that. These people made the rest up. I think they should be jailed.”
Kevin Brown, a co-director of the company responsible, claimed they hadn’t swindled fans. “We don’t do that. We’ve been around for a very long time. We only sell confirmed tickets.”
He went on to insist that U2 had been confirmed for the venue, despite assurance from U2 management and the venue itself that the opposite was true.
