Oasis fans defrauded of hundreds via hijacked Facebook accounts selling fake tour tickets

Summary

Oasis fans were targeted in a Facebook scam where hijacked accounts were used to sell fake tickets for the band’s UK tour. Victims received calls from friends and acquaintances after "very convincing" posts in their names appeared on their Facebook walls offering tickets. One victim lost £550, while another, Curtis Manning, was unable to access his account and had friends who sent money to a scammer named Josh, including one who lost £165. Another victim, Charlie Smith, sent £550 to a hijacked account that responded in a manner mimicking her friend’s voice and mannerisms. The scammers shared the ticket posts in local Facebook groups, causing the scam to "snowball." Meta, which owns Facebook, advised users to use strong passwords and two-factor authentication, but victims reported difficulty in recovering their accounts or getting refunds.