Ipswich residents are urged to be vigilant as fraudsters flood Facebook community groups with fake profiles selling non-existent Oasis tickets.
The big picture: Ticket scams are on the rise, with the East of England seeing an average loss of £533 between 2021 and May 2024. Suffolk's average loss has now increased to £662 in 2024.
Why it matters: Falling victim to these scams can leave music fans out of pocket and without tickets to see their favourite bands.
How to spot fake Oasis ticketsSuffolk Trading Standards
How to spot a scam:
Be wary of newly created profiles with sparse timelines
Trust your intuition if something feels off
Look for a history of posts, photos, and interactions on genuine profiles
Be smart: Only purchase tickets from official sources. This includes the venue's box office, the event promoter, an official ticket agent or well-known and reputable ticket exchange sites.
The bottom line: By staying vigilant and using official ticket sources, you can protect yourself from becoming another statistic.
Crimestoppers offers up to £1,000 for information on Ipswich drug dealers
News
Oliver Rouane-Williams
Residents are being incentivised to anonymously report drug dealing activity in Ipswich as part of a new Crimestoppers campaign.
Why it matters: Drug dealing is a wart on the nose of our town. Amongst many other things, it leads to increased crime, the exploitation of vulnerable people, anti-social behaviour and impacts local businesses.
The big picture: Crimestoppers is emphasising that local knowledge is crucial in combating drug-related crime. The charity is encouraging people to be aware of the signs of drug dealing and to report any suspicions anonymously.
If your information leads to an arrest and charge, you'll be rewarded up to £1,000.
Key details:
Reports can be made via the Crimestoppers website or by calling 0800 555 111
The charity's UK Contact Centre is open 24/7, 365 days a year
Young people can visit Fearless.org to learn about the warning signs of drug crime
Crimestoppers offers rewards of up to £1,000 for information leading to an arrest and charge of drug dealers
Earn up to £1,000 for providing information that leads to an arrest of a drug dealerGetty Images
Signs of drug dealing may include:
Unexplained new possessions
Increased visitors to a property
Changes in someone's behaviour or mood
"Cuckooing" - where criminals take over a home as a drug base
New and frequently changing residents
Closed curtains and increased rubbish or drug paraphernalia
Young people going missing or seeming uncomfortable in the area
What they're saying: Phil Breckon, Crimestoppers Eastern Regional Manager, said: "We can all play a part in looking out for and reporting signs of drugs activity in our neighbourhoods across Ipswich. We are asking people to be aware of the signs and appealing to everyone to help protect our communities by telling Crimestoppers anonymously what you know. We'll pass it on for you."
The bottom line: Crimestoppers guarantees 100% anonymity for all reports. In emergencies or for crimes in progress, residents should call 999.
