Eurovision Song Contest tickets go on sale today ahead of the shows in May this year and those who are hoping to attend are being warned about potential scammers.

The event will take place in Liverpool in May as it’s hosted by the UK on behalf of Ukraine, last year’s winners, as it can’t be held there due to the ongoing conflict in Russia.

Tickets will only be available to buy via Ticketmaster UK regardless of the country you are booking from.

Cybersecurity company NordVPN has warned fans of Eurovision to be aware of scammers that could be trying to take advantage of those looking to secure tickets.

Expert warns Eurovision fans to be aware of scammers

Marijus Briedis, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said: "Eurovision has millions of dedicated fans around the world and there could be a frenzy to secure tickets, especially for the grand final.

“With so much demand there is potential for criminals to take advantage of fans with fraudulent websites, fake tickets, or tickets to an event once it has sold out.”

Briedis explains that tickets may seem real at first glance but turn out to be fake: “You could be at risk of losing a lot of money by falling victim to scams.

“The tickets may end up not being delivered, while sophisticated scammers will even send you digital tickets that look real but won’t work when they are scanned at the event.”

Those wanting to buy tickets should also make sure they use the official Ticketmaster website as this is the only place tickets will be sold.

Scammers could try using similar URLs in an attempt to get some sales.

Briedis said: “Eurovision’s official partner is Ticketmaster, which means that all tickets will be sold via their site, including any resale tickets. Make sure you are using the official website when attempting to get hold of tickets, as scammers may use Ticketmaster-branded websites and similar URLs to try to lure people in.

“Any tickets sold by third parties should be approached with extreme caution, as you will be giving your personal information and your payment details to an unofficial source.

“If you have been asked to transfer money to a private bank account and you don’t already know the person, it is likely that it is a scam.”

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Buyers can have more protection when paying by credit card and it reminds those wanting to buy tickets that other sellers will offer tickets.

Briedis said: “Remember that paying by credit card gives you more protection against scam artists, as the banks are able to act on your behalf to try and recover funds and offer compensation. 

“If the tickets sell out as quickly as expected, we’re likely to see third party sellers emerging online. Research the ticket seller, have a look at the reviews online, read the terms and conditions and use Threat Protection technology to guard your computer from malware and phishing attempts.

“Event organisers such as Eurovision try to clamp down on resale websites such as Viagogo and StubHub selling unauthorised tickets, but it has proven difficult in the past.

“These are sold at unfair prices, with some of the most popular sold out events seeing tickets sold by third parties at more than 100 times the face value cost. It goes against the spirit of what Eurovision is about and may not even be accepted on the day.” 

When do Eurovision Song Contest tickets go on sale?

Tickets for Eurovision will go on sale via Ticketmaster on Tuesday, March 7.

The sale will begin at midday, GMT and you can find out more about tickets, including prices via our explainer.

Tickets will only be available to purchase via Ticketmaster UK regardless of the country you are booking from and you can only purchase tickets for one show at a time.

You must have a Ticketmaster UK account to purchase tickets and fans are encouraged to create their account in advance of sale day.