Don’t let scammers sell you fake Celine Dion 2026 tour tickets
Singer Celine Dion is making a comeback after battling a rare disease. Here’s what you need to know about safely buying tickets to the Paris residence.
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As the pre-sale for tickets to Celine Dion’s 2026 residency in Paris has ended, scammers are likely to exploit the high demand for limited-availability tickets.
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Experts say ticket buyers should verify that they’re purchasing from an official source by inspecting websites’ URLs and other security indicators.
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Scammers may use pressure tactics, such as countdown timers or last-chance pop-ups.
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Those buying tickets from resellers should stick to official reseller platforms that offer refund guarantees and avoid social media and marketplaces without a formal dispute process.
In an emotional video message released on March 30th, Dion announced a residency in Paris, consisting of 10 concerts at the renowned La Défense Arena.
Speaking on her birthday, the French-Canadian pop star called the tour “the best gift of her life,” as it marks Dion’s comeback after struggling with a very rare genetic condition called stiff person syndrome, which affects one in a million people worldwide.
Dion canceled dates of the 2023-2024 Courage World Tour due to the disease that causes severe muscle spasms and affects her vocal cords.
Concerts that will take place throughout September and October 2026 are expected to attract great attention not only from Dion’s fans but also from fraudsters, who never miss the opportunity to exploit limited availability events for ticket scams.
How to buy tickets to Celine Dion’s Paris concerts?
According to the official website, the pre-sale has already ended, with selected fans receiving confirmation emails. Others were notified that they were included in the waiting list and will be contacted if any new tickets become available.
Organizers say the limited number of VIP packages is available through sellers AXS France, Ticketmaster France, and Fnac Spectacles.
Beware of pressure tactics
Tim Farlow, a senior manager at cybersecurity company Fortra, says ticket buyers should verify that they’re purchasing from an official source. He recommends the following steps:
- Start by navigating directly to the venue’s official website rather than using ads or search engine links.
- Use the ticketing link provided by the official site, which usually directs buyers to trusted vendors such as Ticketmaster.
- Carefully inspect the website URL for any misspellings, additional words, or unusual domains that could indicate a fake site.
- Look for secure website indicators such as HTTPS and a lock icon near the address bar, which can help confirm the site’s legitimacy.
Farlow emphasizes that official ticket sellers typically display clear event details, ticket face values, refund policies, and customer support contact information.
“Watch out for pressure tactics such as countdown timers or last chance pop-ups, as these are often signs of a scam,” he tells Cybernews.
Calum Baird, a security operations team lead at Systal Technology Solutions, says buyers who are unsure about a website can check when it was registered using who.is tool.
“We can see that TicketMaster.com was registered in 1994 and has been around for some time. Domain maturity is one helpful way to identify a scam. If I found a website selling tickets that was only registered last week, I'd assess it was likely a scam,” he says.
Nearly 1 in 5 (17%) of internet users encountered entertainment-related online scams in 2024-2045, with fake event tickets being the most prevalent type of such fraud, according to the NordVPN report.
A video of Dion, or any major artist, appearing to offer discounted tickets or exclusive presale access should immediately raise flags. These videos can look and sound remarkably convincing.
Brian Long
Scams are particularly common on social media, with 68% of respondents reporting encountering them on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X.
Brian Long, CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity firm Adaptive Security, notes that an increasing number of scams now involve deepfakes of celebrities.
“A video of Dion, or any major artist, appearing to offer discounted tickets or exclusive presale access should immediately raise flags. These videos can look and sound remarkably convincing,” he says.
Stick to reliable resellers, avoid social media
Due to high interest and limited availability, some will be left with no choice but to buy tickets from resellers. In such cases, Long recommends sticking to reseller platforms that offer refund guarantees, such as StubHub or Vivid Seats.
As most concert ticket fraud starts on social media, Long cautions against buying from individuals on Facebook, Instagram, or Craigslist, or on any marketplace without a formal dispute process.
He tells Cybernews, “And never pay with wire transfer, Zelle, Venmo, or cryptocurrency – those payments are essentially impossible to recover if you get scammed. Credit cards give you the best chance of getting your money back.”
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