A ticket scalping ring made more than NT$20 million by illegally reselling G-Dragon Taipei concert tickets, police revealed recently. After monitoring online sales on social media platforms, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) discovered sellers promising to bypass the official real-name entry system. This case is a clear example of G-Dragon Taipei ticket scalping causing serious legal consequences.
The South Korean rapper held concerts at Taipei Arena, attracting huge crowds. Consequently, scalpers took advantage of the high demand by charging exorbitant prices. For example, VVIP tickets originally costing NT$8,980 were resold for at least NT$50,000.
Therefore, Taipei and Taichung police formed a task force under the direction of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. As a result, investigators traced the scalping operation to a 42-year-old man named Liu, a former private investigator who became a full-time scalper. He collaborated with three accomplices: a breakfast shop owner, a security guard, and an engineer.
This group obtained ticket redemption codes from a Hong Kong scalping network. They then sold these codes online for six to twelve times their original value. Moreover, they used an ID number generator to create fake identity documents.
To deceive authorities, the scalpers edited fan-submitted ID photos to produce forged IDs. Additionally, they met buyers at a luxury hotel near Taipei Arena, assisting them with ticket redemption and real-name verification. Authorities estimate that the ring handled roughly 3,000 redemption codes, selling about 1,500 tickets for G-Dragon’s concerts alone. Consequently, their profits exceeded NT$20 million.
Furthermore, the group held 500 codes for an upcoming Blackpink concert and tickets for other artists such as Stefanie Sun. Police later raided locations in Taichung and Hsinchu, arresting Liu and three others. During the raids, officers seized 1,500 ticket redemption codes, 44 physical tickets, fan merchandise, ID forgery tools, and cash.
After questioning, authorities referred the suspects and some fans to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. They face charges under the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries Act and the Household Registration Act. The CIB warned that reselling tickets above face value can result in fines ranging from 10 to 50 times the ticket price.
Moreover, using forged IDs to bypass real-name checks constitutes a criminal offense. Offenders risk up to five years in prison, detention, and fines up to NT$500,000. In summary, this case highlights the risks of G-Dragon Taipei ticket scalping and the serious penalties involved. Therefore, authorities urge fans to buy tickets only from official sources.
