How should music and sports fans protect themselves against the waves of counterfeit tickets that continue to hit the market? From Beyonce to Drake, top performers have seen their fans turned away from events because they have bought fake tickets without even knowing it. England fans travelling to Brazil for the World Cup were also warned to be wary of fake tickets circulating at venues across the country.
Here’s some advice from StubHub.
At StubHub we want to ensure you get the tickets you pay for, and we use the most advanced technology to track fraudsters and make sure they never list successfully on our site. But whoever you’re buying from (and we hope it’s us!) here are my five top tips for buying tickets to give you total peace of mind.
If it’s too good to be true…
There are many websites which offer you the chance to buy tickets for popular events, but it is important to remember that if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Be extra careful when clicking through from links, ads or pop-ups on websites. Checking that the company has a phone number and registered address gives you a good indication that they are reliable. You can also check with the venue that a ticket is genuine. Trusted operators in the ticket resale market will have partnerships with many venues to ensure that tickets can be checked and verified.
Another thing to consider is whether the site you are buying from is being upfront with the real cost of attending the event. Be careful to ensure you are not hit with hidden fees at the checkout.
Do your homework
Before you start looking to buy or sell online, check you have the correct website. A good tip is to check that the web address is correct and the correct logo is on the site. Sometimes fake websites can be very realistic, so if you are using a resale website and are worried you may have the wrong website, you can always check by giving them a call so they can advise you.
Dodge fraudsters
We use multiple tools and safe practices to ensure that sellers don’t benefit from selling counterfeit tickets. One of those methods is to ensure the seller is not paid until after the event, and therefore has no incentive to trick you. Some fraudsters clone actual tickets or sell stolen tickets which are then cancelled. This is why trusted marketplaces never pay the seller until after the event, which means that the seller has a strong incentive for the customer to actually attend in person and get the seat they paid for.
Pay safely
Using a payment method that offers some security or fall back if something goes wrong – such as a credit card or PayPal – is a wise move. You should also always check that the payment screen has a padlock in the web address at the top of the screen. If you are paying in person for a ticket, choose a safe and public location and do not hand over any money until you have seen the tickets. Plus, make sure you understand the resale conditions of the ticket. If tickets are named, sometimes you will need to show identity verification that matches to be able to enter the venue, so make sure you are prepared before you leave home!
Buy only from a site that offers to guarantee you a replacement ticket if something goes wrong – or your money back.
Our recommendation would be that the best way to purchase your last minute tickets is to use a site with guaranteed protection for your purchase. For example, the Fan Protect Guarantee we offer provides a guarantee that we will either reimburse you or find you the best tickets available to get you into the gig.
Keeping in mind these considerations when buying online mean you will be making a purchase safely – and you can enjoy the moment of seeing that special artist or match – without worrying about the ticket itself.
