More than 10,000 “unscrupulous” individuals have falsely claimed they were at the scene of the Manchester terror attack in an attempt to gain free tickets to Ariana Grande’s sold-out benefit gig, One Love Manchester.
Ticketmaster put aside 14,200 passes for the people who attended Ariana Grande’s Manchester Arena concert last week, but more than 25,000 people have applied for free passes.
A spokesperson for Ticketmaster said: “We have set aside tickets for the 14,200 people who were at the Ariana Grande concert to attend One Love Manchester for free.”
“More than 25,000 people applied for them. Sadly, over 10,000 unscrupulous applications have been made.”
“At Ticketmaster we are doing everything we can – including extending today’s deadline – to ensure that tickets go to the actual fans and not the opportunists or touts who have also been applying for free tickets.”
Meanwhile, the ticketing engine — who confirmed the benefit gig sold out in just six minutes — has pledged to cancel any tickets being touted online after dozens were listed at hugely inflated prices.
In a statement, it said: “At Ticketmaster we are doing everything we can – including extending today’s deadline – to ensure that tickets go to the actual fans and not the opportunists or touts who have also been applying for free tickets.”
“We’re working hard to get tickets direct to fans. We are cancelling tickets of those who are reselling wherever possible.”
This Sunday, Ariana Grande is hosting and performing One Love Manchester, a tribute concert held to support grieving families and victims of the Manchester suicide bombing — an attack which killed 22 people and injured dozens more.
The 23-year-old singer will return to Manchester to perform at the Old Trafford cricket ground on 4 June.
She will be joined by Hollywood’s mightiest including: Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Take That, Niall Horan, Miley Cyrus, Usher and Pharrell.
All proceeds from the gig will go straight to the We Love Manchester emergency fund.
