LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Better Business Bureau of Southern Nevada warns hopeful concert goers against the pitfalls of resale tickets, urging people to protect themselves from scammers who just want your cash.
The Backstreet Boys at Sphere is the hottest show in Las Vegas and one of the top global acts at the moment; for the latest series of dates released, more than 100,000 people fell in line in the virtual queues to buy seats via Ticketmaster.
Fans have traveled from across the globe to see the Backstreet Boys, who have not done a massive global tour in years.
Ticketmaster is the only platform used by Sphere for ticket sales, according to a spokesperson for Sphere. People can also buy tickets in person at the Box Office if they are available, the spokesperson said. The tickets are the listed concert price– not resale prices, the spokesperson said.
Fans who couldn’t get seats through official Ticketmaster sales are turning to resale third-party platforms, or even sales from strangers.
“It’s better to miss out on the opportunity to see them than get scammed,” one fan from Germany tells FOX5, who did get the chance to see performances in July– but fell for a scammer’s schemes when she tried to buy a sold-out “meet-and-greet” opportunity.
The fan turned to a Facebook page that purported to help fans get tickets and packages from other fans; the administrator claimed to oversee sales to “protect” people’s purchases from scammers.
Against the so-called administrator’s request, she sent hundreds of dollars via PayPal’s “goodOXs and services” option, which protects sellers during purchases. The fan also sent $100 to the scammer as a “deposit”. She never heard from the seller again.
Fortunately, the bank refunded the fan’s purchase and deposit. “It’s so cool to see the ‘Boys,’ but it’s better to be safe than sorry, retrospectively,” she said, hoping to warn other fans.
Other fans are not so lucky; one woman tells FOX5, she paid $400 to a scammer who never transferred a ticket. She still hasn’t gotten her money back.
“Your method of payment is key,” said Rhonda Mettler with the Better Business Bureau of Southern Nevada. “How are you submitting payment?” she said, warning against methods like Zelle for payment. FOX5 has spoken to the BBB before, when fans encountered similar problems for resale tickets for other popular concerts.
If you’re buying via resale, some advice from the BBB:
- Use a credit card or protected payment option like PayPal “goods and services” to safeguard your purchase
- Investigate any resale site: is there a “money back” guarantee?
- Check the track record of a resale and third-party website through the BBB.
- If you have a problem with any transaction, report it to the BBB; the organization may be able to help on your behalf.
“You need to know what [the website’s] track record is like,” Mettler said.
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