{"id":25716,"date":"2023-07-17T12:43:22","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T20:43:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/?p=25716"},"modified":"2023-07-17T12:43:23","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T20:43:23","slug":"dont-fall-victim-to-ticket-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/dont-fall-victim-to-ticket-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Steer Clear of Concert Ticket Scammers\ufffc"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

However excited you might be about the festival season or the chance to catch your favorite bands on tour again, it\u2019s scammers who are really<\/em> celebrating.  Many buyers get so caught up in the thrill of purchasing a ticket that they fail to recognize the signs of being scammed.  By some estimates, as many as 12% of concert ticket buyers end up getting ripped off.<\/a> Bottom line: Don\u2019t book anything until you\u2019ve learned about these common summer concert ticket scams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Ticket Scams Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Given that today\u2019s box office is typically online, there\u2019s a layer of anonymity<\/a> that scammers can hide behind.  That leaves them free to unleash the following scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overcharging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly ticket \u201cscalping<\/a>\u201d isn\u2019t illegal, but there\u2019s a big difference between legitimate brokers who charge a fair mark-up and scammers who massively inflate the price of tickets that could be bought at face value elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fake tickets  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Criminals (especially professional gangs) can easily forge the barcode, QR code and even holograms on tickets.  You won\u2019t know you\u2019ve been scammed until the ticket is scanned at the venue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiple resales<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Opportunistic fraudsters might purchase genuine tickets and show them on social media, usually with the barcodes or serial numbers blurred.  First, however, they duplicate the ticket so that they can sell it to as many buyers as possible on various channels before it disappears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-existent tickets  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This scam takes a little more technical and design skill, but it involves cloning the ticket information from legitimate brokers and setting up a bogus booking portal.  Customers purchase their tickets in good faith and everything looks correct \u2014 from the booking confirmation to the payment receipt \u2014 but no ticket will ever arrive.  Worse still, valuable credit or debit card information and personal details are stolen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phony categories  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Occasionally, events will offer complimentary tickets to sponsors or corporate partners that are not intended for resale (often they are marked as such).  These might be for a VIP area or offer fast-track entry.  If scammers can get their hands on them, they can sell them privately, putting the buyer in an embarrassing situation when they reach the venue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Buy Tickets Safely and Smartly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No concert is too big or high-profile to rise above the scammers, and the infamous Fyre Festival<\/a> was by no means the low point of systematic ticket fraud.  If you want to make sure that you\u2019re crowd surfing in the mosh pit rather than thumbing a ride home from the parking lot, make sure you follow these simple rules. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy directly from the venue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Skip the promoter and go straight to the source by buying your tickets directly from the venue\u2019s online box office.  They will list upcoming concerts weeks or months in advance, and as long as you see the padlock symbol in the URL bar, your purchase is secure and the seller is legitimate.  The tickets should be cheaper too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use a trusted ticket broker<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the venue has sold out of its allocation of tickets, you\u2019ll have to pay a little extra from a broker.  Sometimes, the entire ticket stock will be handed to a reputable agent such as StubHub or Ticketmaster.  Ensure that any reseller you buy from is registered with the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do a website background check<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re buying from a broker that you\u2019re not familiar with, check that the website features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n