Watch Out for These 4 Ticketmaster and StubHub Scams — and Know How To Avoid Them
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Nicole Spector
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Gary Dudak
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With icons like Taylor Swift on tour this summer, concert ticket purchases are booming. Unfortunately, so are ticket scams. In 2022, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) received over 140 reports on BBB Scam Tracker about ticket scams.
Con artists are always getting savvier and sneakier — to the point where not even giants like Ticketmaster and StubHub are immune to their nefarious ways. So let’s examine a few Ticketmaster and StubHub scams to be on the lookout for, find out how to keep your money safe, and discuss what to do if you think you’ve been scammed.
Fraudulent Websites
Beware of fraudulent websites and phone numbers that are designed to appear exactly like Ticketmaster’s or another trusted seller.
“Scammers deceive customers by creating a replica of the Ticketmaster website and then falsely assert that there was an issue with the payment after a ticket purchase,” said Michel Caspers, co-founder and CMO at Unity Network. “To resolve the supposed problem, victims are instructed to contact a specific phone number, which the scammers operate. Subsequently, the targeted individual is coerced into purchasing gift cards and loading a wallet with a specified amount of money.”
Counterfeit Tickets
Bad actors take advantage of popular platforms such as Stubhub, Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to promote and sell counterfeit concert tickets.
“Amidst a considerable number of genuine vendors, there is also a prevalent presence of fraudulent individuals offering counterfeit event tickets,” Caspers said. “Only when arriving at the venue buyers will find out that their tickets aren’t valid.”
Duplicate Ticket Listings
Professional scammers also may duplicate ticket listings. Essentially, they sell the same tickets to different people.
“In this scheme, only the fortunate buyer who arrives at the venue first will gain admission, leaving the remaining buyers to realize their unfortunate scam encounter while standing at the entrance,” Caspers said.
Too Good To Be True Deals
Scammers also use social media platforms and online marketplaces like StubHub to list tickets that seem too good to be true (e.g. front row seats for a fraction of what they actually cost).
“These fraudsters may resort to posting images of genuine Ticketmaster tickets or arranging in-person meetings to sell counterfeit tickets, all in an effort to circumvent any skepticism,” Caspers said.
Keep in mind that professional ticket reselling scammers not only aim to take your money but also your personal information.
“These deceptive individuals create counterfeit websites or send misleading emails, falsely claiming that your tickets are ready,” Caspers said. “They do so with the intention of obtaining your personal details. Once they possess this information, scammers can engage in identity theft and credit card fraud, which enables them to extract additional funds in addition to the initial cost of the lost tickets.”
Don’t Buy Tickets From Sites Before They Have Been Officially Released
If you’re desperate to see a popular artist whose concert tickets are sure to instantly sell out, you may be tricked into buying tickets from an online marketplace before they officially go on sale. People fall for this because they think they caught a break and are avoiding the frenzy — but this is a mistake.
“Do not buy tickets from a site like Stubhub or SeatGeek for concert tickets that have not yet been released,” said Jason Middaugh, chief information security officer at Inversion6. “For example, my daughter wants tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in Indianapolis this November, and those tickets that have not yet gone on sale. If you see tickets on sites like Stubhub/Seatgeek for this concert do not purchase them (especially at prices too good to be true). This is another scam people are falling for.”
Don’t Call a Phone Number Listed Only in an Email
“Never call a phone number that you’ve found in an email,” said Zulfikar Ramzan, chief scientist at Aura. “Instead, locate the official number by visiting the real Ticketmaster website at Ticketmaster.com. If you receive an email from a domain that isn’t @ticketmaster.com, it’s from a scammer.”
Don’t Let ‘Customer Service’ Rush You Into Anything
Customer support can be a pain with any venue or service, but if you find them to be especially unhelpful, aggressive or in a hurry, run away.
“Scammers often act urgently or hostile to try and push you into making rash decisions,” Ramzan said. “If the ‘support agent’ is pushing you to do something that you’re not comfortable doing, hang up and then log in to your official Ticketmaster account and contact customer support.”
Don’t Post Photos of Your Tickets on Social Media
If you score tickets, you may be so pumped that you share pics of them on social media. This is fodder for scammers and a big mistake.
“Please never post photos of your tickets on social media or send them to prospective buyers,” said Harry H. Kazakian, a private investigator and the president and CEO of USA Express Legal and Investigative Services. “Scammers can use them to dupe others or create pirated copies.”
Don’t Buy Tickets From Sellers Onsite Until the Ticket Is Scanned
Not only do scammers flood the internet, they show up at concert venues at the time of the scheduled event.
“There are always lots of scammers to be found in the real world right outside the venue,” Kazakian said. “If you’re desperate for a last-minute ticket, you’ll see them hawking tickets for cash near entrances. In reality, that ticket may be a fake, a duplicate of someone else’s or already used. If they aren’t willing to accompany you through the line until the ticket is scanned, don’t buy.”
Do Contact Ticketmaster or StubHub
If you think you’ve been scammed when buying tickets, contact Ticketmaster or the resale site to request a refund or new tickets.
“Contact Ticketmaster if you realize that your tickets have been replicated (or if they’ve been transferred to another account),” Ramzan said. “Ticketmaster may be able to issue new tickets and invalidate the previous ones.”
Do File a Chargeback With Your Credit Card Company
If you’ve been scammed, try to file a chargeback with your credit card company or other payment platform.
“Contact your financial institution as soon as possible, and see if it’s possible to charge back any money you sent to the scammer,” Ramzan said.
Do File an Official Complaint
The next step to take if you’ve been scammed when buying event tickets is to file an official complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and also with IdentityTheft.gov.
“Filing complaints with the FTC helps them combat scams, and also helps prevent other people from falling victim,” Ramzan said. “Submit your complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you gave scammers your personal information, you should also file an official identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov.“
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