Buyer Beware, Ticket Scammers

[Cooper]

Today's NY Post features a story of people purchasing their Broadway tickets from scalpers only to find out they were scammed.

 

I've seen these scalpers around TKTS & theaters offering tickets for hard to see shows like Hello Dolly, Hamilton, & Dear Evan Hansen. Tourists are an easy target & often get ripped off.

 

Has anyone had an experience like this?

 

A scam artist was busted for selling nearly $800 in fake tickets to the hit Broadway musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” authorities said Monday as the accused crook was arraigned.

 

Bruno Lisa, 34, allegedly swindled $400 from his first victim for two forged tickets on Nov. 11, 2017, according to the criminal complaint.

 

The accused fraudster ensnared his second mark three days later, selling another pair of bogus tickets for $398 to the Tony Award-winning musical, the complaint states.

 

Both victims had their nights ruined when the Music Box Theatre turned them away and reported the scam to cops.

 

Last Sunday, Det. Thomas Schick arrested Lisa on the corner of East 39th Street and Madison Avenue and found two more forged tickets in his jacket pocket, court papers charge.

[N13]

If it sounds too good to be true................

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

That people would hand cash money to someone on the street begs the question: How dumb can people be?

 

Stubhub, Ticketsnow (a division of Ticketmaster), etc all are viable ways for guaranteed aftermarket tickets.

[+ nycman]

That people would hand cash money to someone on the street begs the question: How dumb can people be?

 

Stubhub, Ticketsnow (a division of Ticketmaster), etc all are viable ways for guaranteed aftermarket tickets.

 

I agree and I’ve used StubHub many times to get great seats....

 

I’m just curious how they keep people from offering counterfeit tickets?

 

I mean..ok...I get my money back...but you still seriously screwed up my night.

 

Again, I’ve used them tons and never had a problem...

but I still hold my breath every time they scan my StubHub tickets at the door.

[+ quoththeraven]

I agree and I’ve used StubHub many times to get great seats....

 

I’m just curious how they keep people from offering counterfeit tickets?

 

I mean..ok...I get my money back...but you still seriously screwed up my night.

 

Again, I’ve used them tons and never had a problem...

but I still hold my breath every time they scan my StubHub tickets at the door.

I used a reseller to purchase a ticket to a sold-out concert and I held my breath until my ticket was scanned. I would have been seriously bummed out if the ticket wasn't legitimate.

[Scorpio]

I agree and I’ve used StubHub many times to get great seats....

 

I’m just curious how they keep people from offering counterfeit tickets?

 

I mean..ok...I get my money back...but you still seriously screwed up my night.

 

Again, I’ve used them tons and never had a problem...

but I still hold my breath every time they scan my StubHub tickets at the door.

 

I thought the reseller purchased the tickets directly from the original event in order to reduce supply and drive up prices on re-sale.

[+ nycman]

I thought the reseller purchased the tickets directly from the original event in order to reduce supply and drive up prices on re-sale.

 

I don’t think that’s always the case.

 

I’m pretty sure if you have tickets you want to sell you can go through StubHub to sell them.

 

Hence the wide range of options and ticket prices listed.

[+ WilliamM]

That people would hand cash money to someone on the street begs the question: How dumb can people be?

 

Rock concerts tickets bought on the street are much safer than Broadway shows.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I agree and I’ve used StubHub many times to get great seats....

 

I’m just curious how they keep people from offering counterfeit tickets?

 

I mean..ok...I get my money back...but you still seriously screwed up my night.

 

Again, I’ve used them tons and never had a problem...

but I still hold my breath every time they scan my StubHub tickets at the door.

 

 

Good points, but it's also why I always choose the E-ticketing option. It's a lot tougher to fake that, especially when Stubhub requires the seller to provide the original email from Ticketmaster (or whomever they were bought from) as part of the transaction.

[LaffingBear]

Visitors often assume that New York is a dangerous place. Ive only felt genuinely scared three times in perhaps 15 visits. One time involved tickets.

 

Once, (1984?)standing in the TKTS line, a guy came along encouraging those in line to buy tickets to The Rink with Stockard Channing. While I'm no Broadway aficionado, I happened to have read about the show closing a few weeks earlier. When I announced that loudly, and repeatedly cautioned nearby strangers in line and passers-by not to buy the worthless tix - I thought the scalper was going to do me physical harm.

 

In 1991, visiting NYC, there was a guy standing out front of the Broadway Theatre "scalping" orchestra tickets to Miss Saigon. He told a frustrated tale of a group purchase, and then many of the group unable to attend. I was very suspicious, but I persuaded the guy to walk over to the box office with me, where he presented our potential purchases to the agent,who declared the tix legit. So we scored 6th row Orchestra seats to the recently opened hit, 30 minutes before curtain, at face-value. In hindsight, I was surprised the box office employe didnt refuse or admonish us that scalping was prohibited.

 

In contemporary times, my StubHub experience is only as an NFL ticket reseller. They require no proof of ticket authenticity. But sellers are required to provide a credit card.... and if the ticket is bad/refused/duplicate or undelivered, the seller not only loses the sale proceeds, s/he's charged for equivalent or best available replacement tix as well.

 

Recently aired by one of the local network news' consumer shows: guy bought 6 seats to Hamilton. Tickets to be mailed by Orpheum Theatre (SF). Paid by credit card $3000. Then, couldnt go. Sold tix on StubHub, $3000. Tix never arrive by mail. Orpheum won't replace, eventually offers will-call on night of performance , but that's too late to satisfy StubHub obligation. (And buyer cant go to theatre, yet re-buyer is anonymous to orig. buyer). StubHub not only retrieves $3000, but charges orig-buyer credit card $2400 to replace re-buyer's tix with best available. Eventually, all worked out with help of news program, but original buyer was facing $5400 in costs before settled. And StubHub bore the cost of the replacement tix.

Edited November 30, 2017 by LaffingBear