Taylor Swift fans 'scammed over Wembley accommodation' ahead of Eras tour in London
Taylor Swift fans seeking accommodation in Wembley for the Eras tour have been targeted by suspected scammers on Airbnb, according to a report.
Profiles advertising properties surrounding the stadium were discovered by the BBC to have been using what appeared to be artificial intelligence (AI) images.
In some cases, multiple people appeared to be advertising the same room.
Fans of Swift have already descended on Wembley where she is to kick off the London leg of her tour on Friday, and will play a total of eight nights at Wembley Stadium.
She will play three shows from June 21 and a further five in August.
With nearly 700,000 people attending her London performances this summer, competition for accommodation in the capital has been fierce.
An Airbnb spokesperson said: “We have zero tolerance for fake listings and these properties have been removed.”
Some listings on the holiday rental website featured stock images used by estate agents to sell homes which have not yet been built, the BBC reported.
Airbnb has assured that “we do not share guest payment with a host until 24 hours after check in”.
Detective Superintendent Gary Miles, Head of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau at the City of London Police, said: “If there is an accommodation advert near a venue of an in-demand concert, always research the property you intend to book and verify the address exists through web searches and online maps.
“Avoid adverts using the same pictures as others, these listings could be fake and made up by fraudsters.
“When someone is offering tickets to a popular show or sold-out concert online, with prices too good to be true, it could be a criminal trying to get you to part ways with your cash. Only buy tickets from official resale sites or reputable ticket office sites.
“Always exercise caution when booking for popular events and avoid paying by bank transfer, or you might not be able to recover your money, if it turns out your ticket is fraudulent.”
It follows reports of an increase in ticket fraud for Swift’s concerts.
On Wednesday, one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote: “Absolutely devastated - had Taylor Swift tickets for Wembley only to find out we had been scammed completely and lost our money and tickets. Four heartbroken girls this week.”
Across the capital, numerous events and celebrations have been organised to mark the music tour, including public artwork such as the ‘Swiftie steps’ in Wembley.
Swiftie Steps at Wembley Park (David Parry/PA Media Assignments)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "As Taylor prepares for Friday’s opening performance, we are proud to give her and her fans a big London welcome, with celebrations across the capital including a special Tube map, trail and murals in her honour.
“I encourage Swifties to not only enjoy the fantastic shows, but also make the most of everything London has to offer, and hope that even more people are encouraged to enjoy the incredible live music available in our city.”
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