Burlington duo charged in fake Taylor Swift ticket scam
Halton cops received 75 complaints and confirmed 55 incidents of alleged fraud dating back to the fall of 2024
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Halton Regional Police may have gotten the ball rolling on some Swift justice.
The police service announced a pair of arrests and multiple charges laid in an alleged Taylor Swift ticket scam dating back to last fall when the pop superstar held a six-show stint at Rogers Centre as part of her Eras Tour.
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Police say they began receiving numerous complaints on Nov. 14, 2024 – when Swift held her first sold-out show in Toronto – about fraudulent or undelivered Swift tickets purchased from a third-party vendor who used the profile name of “Denise Blackhawk” on Facebook.
The Financial Crimes Unit began an “intensive investigation” as they continued to receive complaints from Halton Region and elsewhere during and after the concerts.
“As the investigation unfolded, the Financial Crimes Unit received 75 complaints and confirmed 55 incidents of fraud (allegedly) connected to the third-party vendor which totalled approximately $140,000 in losses,” police said in a statement released Friday.
That led to cops executing a search warrant Thursday at a Burlington residence where they seized four laptops, a tablet, paper documents and four cellphones.
Denise Tisor, 44, and David Blake, 56, both of Burlington, are each charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and money laundering.
Tisor is also charged with fraud over $5,000.
Police said the accused were both released on an undertaking.
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Cops are reminding concertgoers to exercise “extreme caution” when buying tickets online and advising people to only buy tickets from authorized sellers or at the box office.
Police also advise people to avoid purchases tickets on social media platforms and to be wary of lower-than-expected prices.
Anyone with information about the investigation can call police at 905-825-4777, ext. 8739, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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