Tips For Buying Concert Tickets
We’ve all been in a similar situation: there’s an artist or band you love coming to your city but after researching tickets, you learn the concert is completely sold out. So what can you do? Luckily, we live in the digital age where ticket resellers are everywhere. From purchasing tickets through an individual with an extra ticket to businesses built upon serving ticket resellers, you have options.
Where should I look to purchase tickets for a sold-out show?
There are many options for you to choose from. Companies like Ticketmaster and LiveNation work with venues or the artist to sell concert tickets directly through their website. Ticketmaster recently created a service that allows customers to resell their verified tickets. This helps prevent customers from purchasing fraudulent tickets from scalpers. Other companies have followed suit with similar services or added a feature that allows customers to transfer tickets directly via e-mail or phone number. Sites like StubHub and SeatGeek are also popular options for customers to resell their verified tickets but prices are often steeper than the original price.
Facebook Events is another common place where people purchase tickets from one another. However, this option can leave you more vulnerable to being a victim of fraud. People will use payment options through Venmo or PayPal Friends and Family which provide little to no protection to users. Sites like Craigslist leave customers open to these same risks.
How can I protect myself from being a potential victim of ticket fraud?
If you’re thinking about purchasing tickets from someone on Facebook, there are several steps you should take in order to vet the individual. Facebook lists the full name of the individual selling tickets. Search the name and check their friend list to see if you have any mutual friends. If the show is in the same city you’re located in, you both may know a few of the same people. Reach out to those friends and see if you’re safe to purchase tickets from the seller. No mutual friends? You can look them up on other sites like LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter to see if they are a real person.
Services like Whitepages Premium are also a great option when vetting someone’s background and identity. Whitepages Premium will supply you with any information regarding an individual’s criminal background, driving records, bankruptcies, and other helpful information. This is the best option to help you determine the validity of an individual’s identity, or help you decide whether they’re someone you are comfortable purchasing tickets from.
