Expo 2020 Dubai has cautioned visitors against the Coldplay tickets scam, warning people that they could fall victim to fraudulent sales in a bid to snap up the much coveted entry to the upcoming gig.
The British rockers are set to perform at Al Wasl Plaza on February 15, with tickets to the free concert causing a frenzy online with people waiting for hours in a virtual queue before being informed they had sold out.
However, as soon as the Expo 2020 Dubai site informed fans that entry to the Coldplay concert was sold out, tickets to the free gig started to appear in the grey market, being sold at high premiums, prompting several fans and parents of children who are keen to attend voice their frustrations.
In response, Expo 2020 Dubai put out a statement acknowledging the practice, while warning people to stay away from such scams. “We are aware that some free tickets for Coldplay’s concert on 15 February are being re-sold for money online,” read a statement on Expo 2020’s social media channels.
“We caution visitors against paying money to an untrusted source. The original purchaser may distribute more than one copy of the same ticket, thus leading to fraudulent sales. Each ticket has a unique QR code which can only be used once. Anyone arriving with a QR code that has already been used will not gain entry to the concert venue,” the statement further read.
Expo 2020 also informed fans that they do have the option to watch Coldplay “on the big screens at Jubilee Park, Festival Garden and Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre where access is granted on a first-come, first-served basis.”
And those who cannot make it to site physically, you can watch all the action at Expo 2020’s YouTube channel and on Expo TV.
As Expo 2020 Dubai enters its final 50-day countdown, the venue is hosting some of the top artists around the world including the British rock sensations. Their February 15 performance will have an element of sustainability, as it’s in support of Expo’s Programme for People and Planet and in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The popular group, led by frontman Chris Martin, will perform as part of Expo 2020’s Infinite Nights Series at Al Wasl Plaza and it will be streamed online around the world.
“As a band, we always try to put togetherness and sustainability at the heart of everything we do,” Coldplay said in a statement. “It’s an honour to be invited to perform at Expo 2020 Dubai Infinite Nights for a special celebration of these two themes.”
This isn’t their first time performing in the UAE. Coldplay has performed here multiple times — the most recent one being their New Year’s Eve gig in Abu Dhabi in 2016.
Their upcoming concert will set the stage for the regional debut of their latest album, ‘Music of the Spheres’.