This is a guest post by GetMeIn.com - a part of Ticketmaster, the world’s largest ticketing company. It provides a safe and guaranteed way for people to buy and sell concert tickets and sports tickets to their favourite gigs. It guarantees all purchases, including last minute ones, with its 150% ‘Fan Guard’ policy. We asked them to write this blog to give you the information you need to avoid buying fake events tickets and losing money, especially in light of the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games. The views are GetMeIn.com’s and may not wholly reflect the views of compareandsave.com.

With everybody feeling the pinch at the moment it’s tempting to try and cut corners with your social life. Adverts for cheap tickets and passes to sold-out events seem to litter the web, but who do you trust? In this scenario the maxim ‘If it seems too good to be true it usually is’ couldn’t be more applicable.  Tread carefully and follow these top tips to avoid the scams:

1.    Look for last minute tickets

Like travel agents, ticket vendors often drop their prices to shift more seats as an event draws near. Try contacting box offices directly or browsing sites like GetMeIn.com, which have Last Minute Ticket sections, where you can bag heavily discounted concert tickets .

2.    Check for tell-tale signs

Genuine websites will have some features that are not present on less reputable sites. Your browser will show you which sites are verified by displaying a padlock symbol either in the bottom toolbar or in the address bar at the top of the page. Also look out for how transparent the company selling the tickets is. If they have a working telephone number and an address on the site, then this is likely to be a safe place to buy from.

3.    Stick with what you know

Ticketmaster.co.uk, SeeTickets.co.uk and Aloud.com are well-established ticket sites. If you come across one you haven’t heard of, it’s worth asking around to see if anybody you know can recommend it.

4.    Don’t use Ebay or Gumtree

When you buy from one of these sites you could be buying from anyone, anywhere. If you want your ticket to arrive on time and avoid paying top dollar, steer well clear.

5.    Do some snooping

If a site looks dodgy you can do some detective work and investigate it. The Companies House website is a fantastic government resource which allows consumers to check out a retailer’s credentials before parting with hard-earned cash.

6.    For Olympic tickets, tread with caution

The two main Olympic ticket buying opportunities took place earlier in the year. There are still a few chances to get your hands on tickets to some events but you will need to be extremely careful. In terms of official sales there will be another chance to snap up tickets in December 2011. The organising committee has also announced that unwanted tickets can be resold to friends and family as ID on entry will not be required.  You may also be able to buy tickets from travel agents as part of package holidays to London.

7.    Football tickets come at a price

It’s virtually impossible to find cheap tickets to Premiere League match. The team’s official sites have the monopoly on this and it is illegal to attempt to sell them anywhere other than on authorised websites. If you follow your team religiously a season ticket could work out cheaper in the long run.

8.    For bargains be sociable

Group shopping sites like Groupon and Living Social sometimes offer discount tickets as part of their range. Check back daily to avoid missing out.

9.    Take an interest

Venues themselves sometimes offer discounts, particularly if you’re under 25 so keeping up with events can pay off.  The Royal Shakespeare Company offers a limited number of £5 tickets to young people. The National Theatre offers a similar scheme where under 25s can purchase £10 tickets to certain shows if they sign up to a mailing list.

10.    Go to the movies

If you’re dying to see a show but can’t get tickets anywhere you might still get to see it – in the cinema! The Royal ballet, Royal Opera House and National Theatre often show selected events live in cinemas nationwide. The best bit is that tickets are a fraction of the price for seeing the show in the flesh.