On October 22, a curious post surfaced on social media: “I am Ye Huimei. If you need concert tickets for my son Jay Chou, please contact me.” It elicited a wave of skepticism, with many dismissing it as a joke. However, when Jay Chou himself shared the post to debunk it, over 400 of his fans liked it.
“This is ridiculous—someone impersonating me is one thing, but impersonating my mother is just crossing the line…” Jay expressed his dismay on social media. He took to his account to caution fans against falling for scams, attaching a photo clearly marked “Fake” with a red cross to emphasize that the account was not legitimate.
After many years in the industry, Jay has faced countless impersonators, including those who have gone so far as to launch tours under his name. While he often brushes off such mimicry with humor, this particular incident struck a nerve. A dedicated son, Jay would not tolerate anyone exploiting his mother’s name for fraudulent purposes, prompting him to expose the scammer.
This issue isn’t isolated; the concert ticket market has long been riddled with unscrupulous practices. Despite repeated interventions from authorities against scalpers, the depth of their schemes often leaves consumers vulnerable.
To shed light on the risks associated with different ticket types such as friends and family tickets, and to help navigate the complexities of ticket purchasing, we spoke with Chang Sha, a partner at Beijing Jingshi Law Firm.
Chang outlined that there isn’t a universally accepted definition of “friends and family tickets” online. Generally, these are complimentary tickets distributed by concert organizers or production teams to specific individuals, such as media representatives, sponsors, or personal acquaintances of the artist.
While these tickets are legal and their transfer isn’t inherently against the law, selling them at inflated prices constitutes a violation of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law and can lead to administrative penalties, including detention or fines.
In cases where someone impersonates a celebrity or their family to sell such tickets, they could face charges of fraud. Chang explained that fraud involves deceitful practices aimed at unlawfully acquiring significant public or private property. Under Article 266 of the Criminal Law, those convicted of defrauding substantial amounts can face prison terms ranging from a few years up to life, depending on the severity of the crime.
She noted the importance of verifying information on social media platforms, which often have official verification features. Fans should pay attention to these indicators as well as the number of followers and the content in comment sections to filter out fake accounts.
Moreover, the rise of electronic tickets has significantly curbed ticket scalping, yet some scalpers still claim to have access to systems that allow them to input buyer information directly. Chang cautioned that any illegal manipulation of computer systems by scalpers could lead to additional charges, especially if organizers are found to have facilitated such acts.
A concert that should be filled with happiness and mutual excitement can quickly turn sour if it involves tickets from scalpers. Police have repeatedly advised the public to purchase tickets only through legitimate channels to avoid falling victim to scams.
For consumers who suffer financial losses from buying scalped tickets, they should know that the law does not protect such illegal transactions. However, laws are in place to safeguard citizens’ lawful property. Chang advised individuals who suspect they’ve been scammed to contact law enforcement immediately and keep thorough evidence, including chat logs and transaction records, to aid in investigations.
