Madrid’s Movistar Arena has launched a campaign against fraudulent ticket sales after 2.083 invalid tickets were detected since September across several venues. Music industry associations have joined the initiative, which seeks to address fraud before buyers reach concert entrances.
The campaign is led by Impulsa Eventos e Instalaciones, the arena’s operator, with backing from the Community of Madrid. Participants include the Music Promoters Association (APM), the Association of Technical Representatives of the Entertainment Industry (ARTE) and Es_Música, the federation representing Spain’s music industry.
The initiative aims to involve venues, promoters, artists and official ticketing platforms across the live music sector. Es_Música has shared the invitation on its website, and additional organisations can join.
Invalid tickets detected across venues
The figures come from the company responsible for managing and validating admissions at Movistar Arena and other venues. Of the 2.083 incidents, 1.374 occurred at Movistar Arena, with the remainder at venues in Madrid, Bilbao, Granada and A Coruña.
The campaign’s statement identifies more than 15 suspected fraudulent websites. It describes a growing, organised pattern affecting high-demand concerts.
The largest incident occurred on 4 October, when 478 invalid tickets were detected at a single Movistar Arena concert. In 474 cases, tickets had been purchased through the same website and did not exist in the event’s official system.
Many affected buyers had travelled to Madrid specifically for the concert, paying for transport, accommodation and meals. With the event sold out, they were unable to enter and had no alternative. Organisers have not publicly identified the concert.
Police complaint and website investigation
The venue has filed a complaint with Spain’s National Police, asking investigators to identify the websites’ owners, administrators and financial beneficiaries. It also requested an investigation into possible misuse of personal and banking details supplied during purchases.
The arena has asked Spain’s National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) to analyse the domains, potential connections between them and any new websites that could continue the activities of those already identified.
Impulsa’s analysis describes several recurring features:
- Tickets offered months in advance for dates already sold out through official channels.
- Websites resembling resale platforms and using phrases such as “verified resale” or “entry guarantee”.
- Ratings that differ from those on independent review platforms.
- Declared addresses outside Spain and contact details shared between websites.
- Websites disappearing after concerts.
Some buyers have reported unrecognised charges on their accounts, according to the campaign statement. Those reports remain subject to verification by police and banks.
Entry checks and buyer guidance
Movistar Arena has strengthened checks at its entrances and gives each affected buyer a document confirming that their ticket is invalid. The document can support a police complaint or a claim to a bank.
The venue says intervention at the entrance is insufficient and that prevention needs to begin at purchase. Its recommendations include:
- Buying tickets only through authorised channels.
- Treating offers for sold-out events, or prices far above or below the original price, with caution.
- Calling 017, INCIBE’s cybersecurity helpline.
Movistar Arena ranked as the world’s second-busiest venue in 2025, and its economic impact on the region reached 577 million euros in 2024.
The campaign has also renewed debate over ticket resale regulation, with the industry seeking to distinguish legitimate secondary sales from websites selling tickets that do not exist.
