Ticket resale sites can burn the unsuspecting

Whether for a game or a show, buying tickets from websites comes with a large set of risks

Larry Grossman intended to buy a ticket for a Blue Jays game last month. He got a lot more than he bargained for.

“Inadvertently, I ended up with six tickets from a resale site that I did not recognize as a resale site, priced well above face value,” says the Toronto man.

The purchase cost him $516 (U.S.), or about $653 (Canadian).

Grossman didn’t even know he was being charged in U.S. dollars until after giving his credit card number and completing the sale.

“I am a physician and strongly believe in preventive medicine. My objective is to see what can be done to prevent others from being sucked into the same trap I fell into,” he tells me about why he wants to share his story.

There are many U.S. resale sites that are slickly designed and marketed through search engines. Let’s go through Grossman’s experience step by step; I’ll provide tips on protecting yourself along the way. My first question: How did you get to this site in the first place?

“I did a Google search for ‘Blue Jays Box Office Phone number.’ Then I clicked on the first site that came up, ‘Rogers Centre Tickets — Rogers Centre Event Tickets.’

“I clicked on Rogers Centre tickets and then View Tickets. I did not choose any filter options, since I wanted to know what was available.” My advice: Ticketmaster is the authorized ticket seller for the Blue Jays. When you buy from Ticketmaster, you will be charged in Canadian dollars — a guarantee that does not exist with other websites.

You are better off going straight to the source, the official website of the Toronto Blue Jays, which can be found at toronto.mlb.bluejays.com. Click the “Tickets” tab on the home page. Second question: What happened after you found tickets in your price range?

“I clicked on ‘Buy’ beside the seat I wanted. The site did not indicate I would be committing to buy all the available tickets (six) that were listed at this price.

“There was information about my order to the left of the screen and I assumed I would have a chance to check it once I put in my credit card information.

“Unfortunately, when I indicated that I wished to proceed, the next screen indicated my purchase was final.”

“At no time do I recall seeing the relevant details — number of tickets, service charge — or I obviously would not have proceeded.” My advice: Never make assumptions. The Internet is a riskier place to do business than a bricks-andmortar store, where you can meet staff and supervisors and look them in the eye.

It’s harder to get a refund when you buy online. Many companies are based outside Canada and choose to disobey Canadian laws.

If you’re uncomfortable with an online seller, you should quit the transaction before completing it and do a Google search. Grossman found cautionary reviews for the site he used at a website called Reseller Ratings only after being burned.

Ontario used to ban selling tickets at higher than face value. But in July 2014, the government brought in amendments to allow the for-profit resale of tickets if sellers could provide authentication or offer a money-back guarantee. Third question: Did you try to enforce your right to a money-back guarantee?

“I got an email confirmation and immediately called the number listed,” he says. “In spite of their 100 per cent money-back guarantee, the company told me the purchase was final and there was nothing they could do to reverse it.” Grossman had doubts when he saw the printed tickets. They had no price and said, “Thank for you choosing TicketFast.” He worried about being turned away at the gate. Luckily, that did not happen.

“The tickets definitely worked. I was able to find family and friends to attend with me and though I had to absorb the extra cost, at least we got to see the game.” My advice: If you use your credit card to buy a deceptive product, you are covered by a zero-liability guarantee for fraud.

Grossman could have asked his card issuer to reverse the transaction, but he didn’t think of doing it. And by using the overpriced tickets, he weakened his case.

When asked about a credit card refund, he said he accepted that it’s probably a lost cause. He wants to help other ticket buyers avoid being deceived and raise awareness that a money-back guarantee can be meaningless.

Patti-Anne Tarlton, chief operating officer of Ticketmaster’s Canadian operations, has a few tips to add:

Always buy tickets from the venue’s or attraction’s official ticketing sources or at the venue box office.

Remember that PDF or print-athome tickets can be reproduced.

Don’t take pictures of tickets and post images on social media. Scalpers can take these images and make counterfeits, potentially invalidating your tickets.

Don’t wire funds to the seller or use email transfers. Buying with a credit card or PayPal offers a level of protection. If the card issuer gets enough complaints, it may decide to cut off the seller.

If in doubt, take a photo of the ticket seller.

Finally, don’t let greed overtake reason. If a Blue Jays or Raptors game is sold out, the tickets offered online are likely not genuine. And always ask about Canadian versus U.S. currency before proceeding. Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach her at eroseman@thestar.ca or ellenroseman.com