Fraud with festival wristbands is probably not something you as a festival or event organizer are interested in. It is a nuisance for both you and your paying guests. Fortunately, you can make it very difficult for criminals to tamper with the festival wristband with a few simple measures.

General: Always make sure that the festival wristband fits tightly around the wrist. The guest should be able to fit a pinkie finger between the wrist and the band, but no more. Remember that the festival wristband should not be too tight. It is easy to google “how to remove a festival wristband”, so take these precautions.

It is not difficult to remove the wristband, but it should be difficult to put it on another person without being detected.

Easy-lock: If you use easy-lock on your fabric wristbands, it is very important that you make sure to cut off the excess material as close to the lock as possible. By cutting off the excess material, you avoid both making it easy to twist the lock loose and preventing someone from giving the wristband to someone else afterwards. We also recommend choosing a band that is 20 mm or wider. The wider the band, the more difficult it is to tamper with the closure. You can also advantageously choose Smooth Polyester, as it is stronger and therefore fills more in the lock.

Metal clasp: It is important that you use the right pliers to seal the metal clasp. If you use ordinary pliers, there is a risk that the clasp can come loose, making it possible to pass on the wristband to a non-paying guest. When the metal clasp is applied and squeezed together, it is the safest closure.

Other measures to prevent fraud with festival wristbands and entry

Zero tolerance: Clearly communicate that you in no way tolerate fraud with festival wristbands and entry. Be clear about the consequences of ticket and entry fraud.

Unique design: Make sure that all wristbands have a unique design, so they are not easily confused with entry wristbands from other events. Consider how the wristband looks in the late evening hours and in rainy weather.

Train your security staff and controllers: It is important that all your security staff are trained in correctly attaching the wristband. Create a guide for them (we include one in each delivery) or inform them at a group meeting.

Ongoing checks: It is important to check for wristbands at entrances, etc., and around the premises (also by pulling on the wristband to see if it is properly attached). It works both preventively and catches the culprits.