Ticketmaster is the largest ticket sales and distribution company in the world. They sell tickets for concerts, sports events, theater shows and more. With so many tickets being resold and exchanged, there is a huge potential for fake or invalid tickets. This raises an important question – can Ticketmaster check if the tickets being sold on their platform are real and valid?
The Prevalence of Fake Tickets
Fake tickets being sold online and in-person outside of events is a huge problem. According to the New York Times, an estimated 20% of the secondary ticket market consists of fraudulent tickets. These fake tickets can look identical to real ones and scammers sell them for the same or higher prices as valid tickets. Fans end up losing money and not getting into events.
Some of the ways scammers make and sell fake tickets include:
– Copying barcode information from real tickets and printing this onto fake ones. The fake tickets will scan properly initially.
– Utilizing sophisticated design software to create replicated tickets. These can look very authentic.
– Selling “phantom” e-tickets that don’t actually exist. The seller never had the tickets in the first place.
– Selling valid barcodes multiple times over to different buyers. Only the first scan will work.
– Utilizing stolen credit cards or accounts to purchase tickets and then reselling these. These can later get canceled or flagged for fraud.
How Ticketmaster Combats Fake Tickets
Ticketmaster utilizes a number of methods to try to combat fake ticket sales and ensure validity:
1. Barcode Verification
Most major event tickets sold on Ticketmaster are tied to the purchaser with barcode information. This means the barcode can only be scanned once for entry. If it has already been scanned before, it will be flagged as invalid at the event entrance.
Some other measures Ticketmaster uses for barcode verification include:
– Requiring ID of the ticket purchaser upon entry to cross-check with sale records.
– Using rotating barcodes that change dynamically over time. These are harder to replicate.
– Encrypting barcode data linked to user accounts for added security.
2. Ticket Transferring Policies
Many tickets sold on Ticketmaster allow for transfers to other purchasers or recipients. Ticketmaster has some policies in place to protect validity here:
– Allowing transfers only via Ticketmaster’s official exchange to ensure tracking.
– Limiting how close to event time transfers can happen. This prevents last minute fraudulent sales.
– Requiring ID of both purchaser and recipient with photo ID checks upon entry.
– Invalidating all duplicate tickets if the barcode is found used multiple times.
3. Fighting Scams and Fraud
Ticketmaster has teams dedicated to monitoring the marketplace for scam tickets and fraudulent sales:
– Leveraging data analytics to identify high risk transactions.
– Allowing fans to report suspicious ticket sales for investigation.
– Proactively flagging suspicious third-party sellers.
– Canceling or invalidating any tickets that appear tied to stolen payment info or accounts.
Challenges Ticketmaster Faces
Despite these precautions by Ticketmaster, there are still major holes that allow fake tickets to proliferate:
Third-Party Resellers
There are many ticket resale marketplaces beyond Ticketmaster’s own exchange. These third-party vendors are hard to police fully and fake tickets often surface for sale here. Common third party sites include Stubhub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek and more. These sites do aim to verify tickets, but have a hard time keeping up.
In-Person Exchanges
A huge numbers of ticket sales for major events happen in-person. These private exchanges are nearly impossible for Ticketmaster to monitor or control. Scammers take advantage of this to knowingly sell fake or duplicate tickets locally outside venues.
Advanced Printing Technology
As printing quality and technology improves, fake tickets are looking more authentic. Ticketmaster needs to constantly adapt their ticketing materials and strategy to stay ahead of counterfeiters.
IDs Not Checked Properly
Ticketmaster does aim to check IDs upon entry, but this isn’t a flawless system. In big crowds or large venues, security can’t always properly cross-check an ID against barcode owner records. This allows some fake tickets to slip through.
Key Takeaways
To summarize Ticketmaster’s ability to verify real vs. fake tickets:
– Ticketmaster does utilize advanced barcode systems to try to ensure validity and prevent duplication. This stops some fake tickets.
– Their ticket transfer policies and fraud monitoring also aim to limit scam ticket sales on their platform.
– However, major holes exist off of Ticketmaster’s exchanges from third-party sellers and in-person exchanges. These are near impossible to control fully.
– As printing and hacking technology improve, Ticketmaster faces an ongoing battle. They will need to continue adapting security features and procedures to stay a step ahead of scammers.
– While they do use ID checks, these aren’t foolproof in large crowds where thorough checks are difficult.
So in conclusion, Ticketmaster does have some moderate success in controlling fraudulent ticket sales, but has not found a flawless solution yet. Fans should still be wary of scams when purchasing tickets from unofficial third parties. Careful verification of sales channels is still important to avoid losing money on fake tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell if a ticket is fake?
Some signs that a ticket could be fake include:
– Poor print quality or low-resolution graphics.
– Lack of watermarks, holograms and other security features found on most official tickets.
– Misspellings, typos or other errors.
– Prices that seem suspiciously low.
– Generic ticket design that doesn’t match the event.
– Unknown or unusual ticket source/seller.
What happens if you show up with a fake ticket?
If you try to enter an event with a fake ticket, in most cases it will scan as invalid and you will not be allowed inside. The ticket will be confiscated as well. You run the risk of also not being refunded or compensated if you purchased a counterfeit ticket from a scammer.
How can Ticketmaster better prevent fake ticket sales?
Some ways Ticketmaster could improve include:
– Using more advanced 3D security printing features like holograms on all tickets.
– Employing blockchain technology for ticket sales to prevent duplication and ensure validity.
– Mandating transfers only on Ticketmaster’s own exchange so they all can be monitored.
– Performing thorough ID check of every ticket holder, even in large crowds.
– Blacklisting any third-party resellers who are found selling fake tickets in large volume.