Warning issued to anyone wanting to buy Harry Styles tickets this week

It feels like everyone I know is trying to nab Harry Styles tickets this week - and the task is proving difficult.

The singer is set to play a string of residencies around the world as part of his 'Together, Together' tour, which is set to take place following the release of his fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally on 6 March.

Despite the former One Direction star, 31, lining up a record-breaking twelve nights at London's Wembley Stadium, each presale opportunity is still selling out at record speeds with no sign of stopping.

Right now, the tickets are like gold dust and that means fans are getting desperate to secure them, however, this also unfortunately gives scammers the prime opportunity to make some money.

Not to mention the fact that Harry's followers have been left seriously unimpressed by the prices, which in the UK are ranging between £44.10 to £466.24 for seated tickets at Wembley.

If you want to stand, you'll have to fork out between £144.65 to £279.45, with VIP packages coming into play at between £468.85 and £725.45 a pop, as per The Independent.

So, in the wake of the phenomenal demand, a cybersecurity expert has issued a stark warning to fans who will be attempting to nab tickets in the general sale on Friday (30 January).

Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA, at McAfee has warned that cybercriminals are 'known for preying on the excitement of sell-out artists'.

She explained: "With Harry Styles making a comeback after four years, tickets are in high demand, meaning many fans are at risk of falling for ticket scams.

“This could be in the form of scam emails or text messages claiming to be from legitimate ticket vendors or event organisers, where instead of purchasing a ticket, you’re led to nefarious links designed to install malware or steal personal information.

"These phishing scams are becoming harder and harder to identify as recent advances in AI have removed the traditional hallmarks of misspelled words and poor grammar."

Gamot added that these criminals will play on your emotions by creating a sense of urgency in a bid to catch you with your guard down.

She elaborated: "Is it your ‘last chance’ to buy tickets? Is there a huge discount for one day only? The best way to overcome this tactic and protect your money and online privacy, is to stop, pause and think. Could it be a scam? Go direct to the source or try to verify the information before responding, and certainly before sending any money."

The expert warned that there's been a 'significant' rise in scammers taking to the comments section on platforms such as TikTok to sell fake tickets.

Gamot said: "Scammers will usually mention they have a ticket going spare, or are unable to make the show, meaning they are looking to sell.

"It is important to always stick to reputable ticket providers and re-sell websites, such as Ticketmaster, and beware of sites that only accept payment in the form of bitcoin or wire transfers."

McAfee’s top tips to avoid being scammed looking for tickets

• Don’t act on urgency alone: pressure is the scam
• Don’t assume you’re 'too smart' to be fooled: modern scams are built for that confidence
• Sales through social media: Stick to official ticketing platforms for legitimate tickets and purchase protection and avoid buying from social media profiles or ads, as scammers can create fake accounts.
• Payment methods to avoid: Do not pay with bank transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency as these are often signs of scams.
• Suspicious ticket pricing: Tickets priced significantly above or below face value (plus booking fees) are likely fake.
• Secure shopping online: Look for the lock icon ('https' or a padlock) in your browser to confirm the site is secure before purchasing.
• Safe payment methods: Credit cards are a good way to go. In the UK, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act protects purchases made with a credit card that cost between £100 and £30,000.

So no matter how much you desperately want those tickets, make sure you really think it through and look for the red flags before buying tickets off someone - after all, buying fake tickets and getting scammed is worse than not getting tickets at all.