Fans warned in Oasis ticket scam

Tickets changed hands for more than £100 outside the venue

Oasis fans face being shut out of gigs on the band's current UK tour after hundreds of people unwittingly bought fake tickets as part of a major counterfeit scam.

About 400 people who had bought fake tickets from touts - as well as the 2,500 sell-out crowd with genuine tickets - gained access to the band's show in London on Sunday, Oasis' spokesman told BBC News Online.

Some of these counterfeit tickets are of an extremely high quality and to the person on the street appear legitimate

Oasis spokesman

No one at the venue in question, Shepherds Bush Empire, was available for comment, but fans have been warned that they will be turned away from the remaining venues unless they have valid tickets.

Tickets are likely to be fake unless they were bought from official sources - which sold out within an hour of the tickets going on sale - a statement from the band said.

Touts were charging more than £100 for the counterfeits outside the Shepherds Bush Empire when the band played there on Sunday and Monday.

Shepherds Bush Empire: Held gigs on Sunday and Monday

Extra checks, including looking at the watermark and hologram, were put in place in time for Monday, meaning some fans were turned away.

The statement urged fans not to turn up at the remaining shows in Glasgow and Manchester unless they have genuine tickets.

"Please check your ticket and if it does not bear a watermark and an Oasis hologram with a 3D effect then your ticket is a forgery and you should immediately refer to your point of purchase," it said.

"Some of these counterfeit tickets are of an extremely high quality and to the person on the street appear legitimate unless you know what to look for," according to a spokesperson for the band.

Fake

The band are playing venues that are much smaller than their usual arenas or stadiums to mark 10 years since their first gig - meaning tickets are in high demand.

Oasis - one of the most successful UK bands of the last decade - will play in their home town of Manchester on Wednesday and Thursday before moving on to Glasgow at the weekend.

Tickets, which have a face value of £23.50, are likely to be fake unless they were bought from the official ticket line, the Oasisinet.com website or the venue box offices, the statement said.

Noel was joined by Paul Weller on stage

All official sources sold out quickly after tickets went on sale, on 18 August.

That was the tenth anniversary of when Oasis played their first gig, at Manchester's Boardwalk.

The current tour - dubbed Ten Years of Noise and Confusion - is to celebrate their success.

Former Jam singer Paul Weller joined them on stage during the first show on Sunday night.

Fans were also treated to a taster of the band's fifth studio album, due out next year, with three new songs given an airing.