U.S. Lawmakers Enter the Fray to Combat Ticket Scalping

Have you ever gone to purchase a ticket for a popular event and found that the more cost-effective tickets were snapped up in record time? Many on our own team here at DMNW have had such experiences. We’ve also seen tickets for the same event being sold mere hours later for a higher price than they were worth. Thanks to ever-changing technology and tech-savvy scalpers, purchasing tickets at face value has become difficult.

We’re not alone.

Thankfully, New York recently passed a bill stating that ticket scalping will be considered a Class A misdemeanor. Purchasing a scalped ticket with the intent to resell falls under this category also. Class A misdemeanors are almost as serious as felony charges. Penalties include fines ranging anywhere from $500 to $5000 or spending up to a year in jail. In addition, the judge may require the defendant to complete a period of community service.

Scalping legislation is coming to Washington

The Better Online Ticket Sales Act (BOTS Act) of 2016 is nearing completion, pending the signature of President Barack Obama. The BOTS Act aims to bring in measures that will prevent people from being exploited through online ticket sales. Like the New York bill that was passed, the BOTS act aims to put a hold on scalping by prosecuting anyone that uses software to get tickets for resale at a higher cost.

Seems like a hefty set of penalties, yet, this doesn’t sway scalpers. Using multiple credit cards and names, scalpers use bots to snap up tickets as soon as they’re released. Unfortunately, for ticket holders this has the effect of selling out popular events and have fans searching elsewhere for tickets. The majority of these scalpers appear out of state according to their IP addresses, which makes it even more difficult to prosecute.

Hopefully, these changes reinforce the positive energy that we gain from going to these events and share with our respective communities when we go back home.

What consumers can do about ticket scalpers

Report any tickets that you see on sale for a higher than face value. Stubhub and Ticketmaster have promised that they will co-operate with inquiries surrounding illegal scalping.

If you can’t miss a performance for the world, there’s a few things you can do. Be sure to follow your favorite artists on social media and subscribe to any newsletters that they might have. One benefit is getting the inside scoop on the goings-on of your favorite artist. Second, the promoters may also provide some loyal fans with a promo code for a show coming to you. It’s a win/win either way!

Tickets are also resold on Facebook and other social media platforms. Some Facebook pages even dedicate themselves to the resale of specific festival tickets. If you do choose to go this route, you need to keep two things in mind. One, make sure that you’re paying face value for the ticket(s). Two, please make sure that you can verify that the tickets are genuine by requesting to see the receipt detailing the original purchase.

The most important thing to do is be patient. Some events sell their tickets well in advance, therefore, trying to get tickets close to the date may work better for you in the long run. People who previously thought they could attend might end up selling their tickets for less than face value when an event draws near.

Do you think the changes will be helpful? Drop a comment and let us know!