Ticketmaster has said it "caught" ticket touts trying to buy up tickets for Harry Styles' upcoming New York residency.
The ticketing platform said on Wednesday that it had identified a number of fake accounts purchasing tickets for Styles’ Madison Square Garden shows on his upcoming Together, Together tour.
Ticketmaster said it is working with the singer’s team to release the cancelled tickets back to fans at face value.
In a statement shared on the company’s social media accounts on behalf of its president, Saumil Mehta, Ticketmaster said: "We caught scalpers using multiple accounts and fake identities to try and get around ticket limits and resell tickets for profit.
"We’ve cancelled those tickets, none of which had been transferred to fans, and we are working with the tour to release them back to fans at the original price.
"It’s important for these tickets to go to real fans."
The platform said prices set by the tour ranged from $50 (€43) to $130 (€111), including fees.
The statement continued: "Scalpers often target the tickets that are the lowest price and or super in-demand so they can flip them for the biggest markup.
"This impacts many tours and Harry’s residency was a huge target."
Ticketmaster said fans can now request a ticket for the concert, with those who do not currently hold a ticket for the New York shows set to be prioritised.
It comes after singer Olivia Dean criticised the ticket resale market as "exploitative" after securing partial refunds for fans from Ticketmaster after tickets were reportedly listed on resale platforms above face value.
Styles rose to fame as a member of One Direction alongside Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson after the group was formed on The X Factor in 2010.
He launched his solo career after the band went on hiatus in 2016, almost a year after Malik left the group, and has since gone on to win multiple Grammy and Brit awards.
The 32-year-old released his fourth album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., in March ahead of his Together, Together tour, which includes dates in London, Amsterdam, New York, São Paulo, Mexico City, Melbourne and Sydney.
Source: Press Association
