Having fake tickets in your Ticketmaster account is possible, but not recommended. Ticketmaster has safeguards in place to detect fraudulent tickets, so there is a risk of having your account suspended or banned if you add invalid tickets. However, some scenarios may result in fake or invalid tickets appearing temporarily until the issue is resolved.
How could fake tickets get into your Ticketmaster account?
Here are some potential ways fake tickets could end up in your Ticketmaster account:
Purchasing from an unauthorized third-party seller
If you buy tickets from an unauthorized reseller site or scalper, you may receive fake ticket numbers that do not correspond to valid tickets in Ticketmaster’s system. Adding these to your Ticketmaster account will make them appear as valid tickets initially, but they will not actually grant you entry to the event. Ticketmaster routinely screens for unauthorized tickets and will cancel any invalid ones.
Fake tickets sent as gifts
Someone may intentionally or unintentionally gift you fake ticket numbers that do not represent real tickets. This can happen if the gift giver was deceived by a scam when attempting to buy tickets. If you add these gift tickets to your Ticketmaster account, they will show up as valid until Ticketmaster recognizes they are fraudulent.
Errors in transferring tickets
In rare cases, there may be glitches when transferring ticket ownership that causes invalid ticket numbers to be sent to the recipient. If the transfer fails but you still receive ticket numbers, they could show up temporarily as valid tickets in your account. However, Ticketmaster will eventually recognize the transfer error and cancel the tickets.
Duplicate copies of valid tickets
Sometimes people accidentally make extra copies of real tickets. If you then add the duplicates to your Ticketmaster account, it will appear as if you have twice as many tickets until the duplicates are identified and removed. This scenario results in temporary fake tickets, but Ticketmaster’s systems will detect the duplicates.
What happens if Ticketmaster identifies fake tickets in your account?
If Ticketmaster determines that your account contains invalid or fake tickets, here is what may happen:
The tickets get cancelled
Any tickets confirmed to be fraudulent will be cancelled and removed from your account. You will lose access to those tickets since they do not actually grant you entry.
Your account may be suspended
Having too many fake tickets could lead to your Ticketmaster account being temporarily suspended while the issue is investigated. This prevents any further use of the account until matters are resolved.
You may be banned permanently
In cases of serious or repeated fraud, Ticketmaster may ban your account altogether. This could occur if you knowingly added large numbers of fake tickets through unauthorized purchases. Permanent bans aim to prevent further fraudulent activity.
You will not receive a refund
Since fake tickets have no monetary value and do not represent real event tickets, you will not get a refund if invalid tickets are removed from your account. Refunds only apply to real tickets that are cancelled appropriately.
How to avoid fake tickets in your Ticketmaster account
Here are some tips to help avoid having fake tickets in your Ticketmaster account:
Only buy from authorized sellers
Purchase tickets directly through Ticketmaster or other officially authorized event partners. Avoid third-party resellers who may sell fake tickets.
Verify any gifted tickets
If receiving tickets as a gift, check with the sender to confirm they purchased the tickets from an authorized source. Also verify with Ticketmaster that the ticket numbers are valid.
Complete transfers properly
When transferring tickets, carefully follow Ticketmaster’s procedures to ensure the recipient gets valid ticket numbers assigned to their account.
Don’t duplicate valid ticket numbers
Avoid making extra copies of real tickets. Only the original ticket numbers from a legitimate purchase will be valid in your account.
Screen your tickets periodically
Log in and check your Ticketmaster tickets periodically to screen for any duplicate, fraudulent or invalid tickets that may need to be removed. Act quickly if any are found.
Options if your valid tickets are cancelled wrongly
In rare cases, there could be a mistake where Ticketmaster cancels valid tickets incorrectly identified as fraudulent. Here are some recourses:
Contact Ticketmaster customer support
Reach out to Ticketmaster’s customer service by phone or email. Explain the situation and provide order details showing the tickets were purchased legitimately. They can investigate and restore any tickets cancelled by mistake.
Show purchase receipts
Keep all your ticket order receipts and confirmation emails in case you need to provide proof of purchase later. This evidence can help demonstrate the tickets were bought from Ticketmaster or authorized partners.
Involve your credit card company
If you purchased the wrongly cancelled tickets with a credit card, you can also reach out to your credit card company for assistance. They may be able to reverse the charges if Ticketmaster cannot resolve the issue.
Consult with event organizers
For major concerts, sports events or festivals, consider contacting the organizers directly if Ticketmaster cannot fix the problem. Explain the mistake and ask if they can honor your tickets or make alternative arrangements.
Sell to a third-party reseller
As a last resort, you may be able to recoup losses by selling cancelled tickets to a third-party ticket reseller. However, be upfront that the tickets were initially invalidated by Ticketmaster to avoid further issues.
Preventing fake tickets through Ticketmaster’s security features
Ticketmaster utilizes a variety of security measures aimed at eliminating fake tickets and fraud:
Barcode verification
Ticketmaster can scan the unique barcode on each ticket to instantly verify if it is valid for the event and match the purchaser’s ID. Fake barcodes will be rejected.
Ticket limits
Limits on ticket purchases make it harder for scammers to acquire large batches of tickets fraudulently. Attempts to exceed purchase limits could trigger security reviews.
Account restrictions
Strict limits on the number of Ticketmaster accounts per person prevent scalpers from creating multiple accounts to bypass ticket purchase restrictions.
Purchase reviews
Suspicious ticket orders involving very large quantities or unusual patterns will be flagged for further security checks before fulfillment.
Live monitoring
Algorithms monitor Ticketmaster’s systems in real-time to identify suspicious activity indicative of fake ticket sales.
Conclusion
While rare, it is possible for some fake tickets to end up temporarily in your Ticketmaster account if you are not careful about your ticket sources. However, Ticketmaster has multiple security layers in place to detect and remove any invalid tickets. To avoid problems, only buy tickets from authorized sources, properly transfer or gift tickets, and periodically screen your Ticketmaster account for any unusual activity. If any legitimate tickets are wrongly cancelled, you can provide proof of purchase to have them restored. With sound judgment, you can confidently use your Ticketmaster account to conveniently manage real event tickets.
Scenario | How fake tickets could occur | Ticketmaster’s likely response |
---|---|---|
Buying from unauthorized reseller | Receive invalid ticket numbers not in Ticketmaster’s system | Fake tickets detected and cancelled |
Receiving fake gifted tickets | Gift giver was scammed into buying fake tickets | Tickets identified as invalid and removed |
Transfer glitch | Technical error during ticket transfer | Fake numbers from failed transfer cancelled |
Duplicating valid tickets | Accidentally copying real ticket numbers | Duplicate fake tickets deleted |
Prevention Tips |
---|
– Buy only from Ticketmaster or authorized seller |
– Verify gifted tickets are valid |
– Complete ticket transfers properly |
– Don’t duplicate valid ticket numbers |
– Periodically screen your account tickets |