Taiwan Police Bust Ticket Scalpers as AI Arms Race Escalates

High-demand concerts have turned ticketing into a technology contest between scalpers and online platforms. Taiwan’s Cultural and Creative Industries Development Act has prohibited the improper use of computers or related equipment to obtain tickets since June 2, 2023. Generative AI is now lowering the technical barrier to writing purchasing bots and imitating human activity, prompting platforms to expand behavioral analytics, device fingerprinting and risk-based verification.

Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau said it dismantled a scalping operation as aespa played Taipei Dome on Aug. 11, 2026. The suspects allegedly used SIM-bank devices known as “cat pools” to receive verification codes in bulk, create more than 800 ghost accounts and secure about 2,000 tickets. General sales began May 17, with official prices ranging from NT$1,940 to NT$7,880, including concession and VIP categories.