Is Ticketmaster legit? 6 Ticketmaster scams to avoid

Ticketmaster scams have gotten so advanced that people have woken up to find that their tickets have vanished from their official Ticketmaster account. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help avoid this and other online scams. Here, we break down 6 of the most common Ticketmaster scams to look out for so you can buy tickets online with less fear that scammers will rip you off.

1. Fake “Ticketmaster” tickets on social media and third-party sites

Fake tickets are all over online marketplaces and social media sites like Craigslist and Facebook. In fact, some Redditors complain that tickets to popular concerts sold on these platforms are practically guaranteed to be scams. While this may be a little exaggerated, purchasing tickets from third parties is certainly risky.

Scammers selling fake Ticketmaster tickets on social media go to great lengths to seem legitimate. They may even use hacked accounts with real posts and photos to appear trustworthy. And while some fraudsters lure buyers in with low prices, others sell fake tickets at face value, making them even harder to detect.

Scammers on third-party sites have clear preferences when it comes to payment methods. As TikTokers have noticed, if you offer to pay with PayPal, scammers may try to convince you to mark the transfer as “friends and family” rather than “goods and services” (which offers some buyer protection). Many scammers also push for payment apps like Venmo, or, even better, gift cards, as such payments can be hard to trace and recover.

Likewise, while scammers on social media may have a fake confirmation email from Ticketmaster at hand, they often refuse to share a screen recording (which can help prove the ticket is legitimate) of the ticket being accessed inside the official Ticketmaster app or website. You should be able to see them scrolling, refreshing, and clicking through the app.

If the seller claims they’re a Ticketmaster agent, steer clear. Ticketmaster will never sell tickets on third-party sites like Facebook Marketplace.

2. Replicated, printed, or sold-out tickets

QR codes can be replicated and paper tickets copied in a matter of seconds, but they can only be scanned at the gate once, invalidating all other copies. Paper-only tickets to sold-out events may be enticing to desperate fans, whose desire to see their favorite artist can cloud their better judgment.

To avoid printed ticket scams, check if digital tickets are part of the purchase. If you’re buying resale tickets originally purchased on Ticketmaster, the seller should be able to transfer the tickets to your Ticketmaster account, guaranteeing legitimacy. Avoid buying tickets from sellers who only offer a paper ticket or a PDF.

That said, for certain events, Ticketmaster makes it impossible to resell tickets until a couple of days before the concert, as shown in the image below. For other events, resale and even ticket transfer may not be available at all. This is done to stop hawkers, but it can put second-hand ticket buyers at risk, as printed-out tickets have no guarantees attached.

3. Spoofed websites

Spoofed websites have fooled many into handing their payment info directly to hackers. These cleverly designed fake websites realistically mimic the appearance of real sites, using similar URLs like “ticketsmarter.com.” Even the most observant person can miss subtle differences in URLs if they’re not vigilant.

On fake websites selling event tickets, fields like Login, Password, and Credit Card Number don’t log you into anything or help you make any purchases; instead, they send the information you provide directly to the person running the website. Website spoofing of this sort is dangerous because your sensitive data can be used for full-on identity theft.

When buying tickets online, be on the lookout for typos and ensure that the website’s URL begins with “https://” instead of “http://.” The “s” indicates a secure, encrypted connection.

4. Speculative ticketing

Speculative ticketing is when someone tries to sell a ticket they don’t have.  Such sellers are speculating that they can obtain the tickets and later resell them to fans. Speculative ticket listings are fraudulent, and this practice is illegal in many states, leading Ticketmaster to warn users against buying tickets off-platform before they go on sale. If you find a listing for tickets that haven’t been released yet, assume that it’s this kind of scam.

While some artists do offer pre-sale tickets on Ticketmaster, these are not always resellable on the Ticketmaster platform. If you buy pre-sale tickets from a third party, you are doing so at your own risk.

5. “Vanishing” tickets

If someone gets hold of your Ticketmaster login information, they can access your tickets and transfer them to their own account, causing them to “vanish.” While Ticketmaster may reinstate stolen tickets in some cases, this experience can be scary.

If your Ticketmaster account has been hacked, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, dispute charges with your bank, and notify Ticketmaster. However, it’s best to take a preventive approach: be on the lookout for phishers trying to hack into your account, use two-factor authentication (2FA), and have a strong, unique password.

Norton Password Manager helps keep your passwords strong, unique, and protected, mitigating the likelihood of hacking incidents.

6. Fake support numbers and phishing emails

Fake Ticketmaster support numbers are prominently displayed on spoofed sites that look like the real thing. Once you’re on the phone with these fake numbers, scammers may try to fool you into revealing sensitive personal information. Tech support scams work this way, too.

Phishing is all about making you believe you’re clicking a legitimate link. However, the link will download malware to your device, ask you to enter personal information, or take you to a malicious site.

Never click links in emails if you can help it. Be extremely careful of unfamiliar, strange, or urgent-sounding messages. Ticketmaster email scams often try to get you to click without thinking. To stay safe, access Ticketmaster by typing it manually into your browser or opening the app on your phone.

How to avoid Ticketmaster scams

The safest way to buy tickets is to purchase them directly from Ticketmaster or the venue’s ticket office. Remember to never share personal information outside of the Ticketmaster app or click links in emails. If Ticketmaster says you have new messages, go to the app and view them there.

If you do decide to purchase Ticketmaster tickets from a third party, you can reduce the risk by following these precautions:

• Ask the seller to share a screen recording of them accessing the tickets in the official Ticketmaster app.
• Have second-hand tickets transferred directly to your Ticketmaster account.
• Use a payment method with buyer protection — if you use PayPal to buy the tickets, make sure to categorize the payment as “goods and services.”
• On resale platforms, look for verified sellers with a strong track record.
• On social media, beware of new accounts or those with few posts, keeping in mind that scammers may also hack into the accounts of real people to sell fake tickets.
• Trust your instincts and watch for red flags — be wary if the seller rushes you, refuses a video call to verify the ticket’s legitimacy, or insists on untraceable payments.
• Be suspicious of cheap prices and sellers who immediately agree to lower the price of their original offer.

Scams are getting so sophisticated that even the most careful among us can be fooled. AI-powered tools like Norton Genie can help you detect and avoid Ticketmaster scams. Simply snap a screenshot of a suspicious message, share it with Genie, and get a warning about potential scams within seconds. 

How to spot Ticketmaster scams

The most legitimate-seeming seller might be a scammer, and the sketchiest person on Facebook could be selling a real ticket. Spotting Ticketmaster scams isn’t black and white. However, knowing common red flags can help you make a better judgment call.

To help identify Ticketmaster scams, look out for a seller who:

• Has a recently created account.
• Has few friends, pictures, or signs of activity.
• Links to a website, app, or platform you’ve never heard of.
• Sends a URL or email address with typos or nonsense words.
• Is offering a suspiciously low price.
• Is selling tickets to a sold-out event.
• Is selling “pre-sale” tickets.
• Requests personal information.
• Refuses to share a video recording of them accessing the Ticketmaster app.
• Demands payment through third-party apps like Venmo or Zelle.

Don’t let a Ticketmaster scam ruin your fun

Tickets to popular events are coveted commodities these days. Unfortunately, whenever there’s a lot of demand and limited supply, scammers are just around the corner. And they’re only getting smarter.

Spoofed websites and phishing schemes can be surprisingly hard to spot — at least for humans. AI tools can help detect scams that might slip past even the most attentive users. Norton 360 Deluxe, with its always-on AI-powered scam detector, can offer you invaluable insight that could save you from getting ripped off.

In addition, our powerful arsenal of cyber safety tools helps you block hackers, stop account takeovers, and manage your passwords, keeping your digital life more secure.

FAQs

Does Ticketmaster refund scams?

Ticketmaster may refund you if your account is hacked or subject to data breach and your tickets are stolen. However, if you buy a fake Ticketmaster ticket from a third party, you’re better off contacting your card issuer or PayPal to dispute the charges. If you paid for a scam ticket with gift cards or some other third-party app, you’re out of luck.

Would Ticketmaster ask for a Social Security number?

If you plan to resell tickets at high volume, then yes, Ticketmaster may ask for your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. This is to complete a Form 1099-K in compliance with tax reporting regulations.

Is Ticketmaster legit?

Yes. In fact, one of the few ways to avoid getting scammed is by purchasing event tickets directly through Ticketmaster or the venue’s box office. While Ticketmaster has faced controversy due to monopoly accusations and a 2024 data breach, it remains a legitimate platform for buying event tickets.

Can I trust Ticketmaster Resale?

Yes, because people cannot transfer fake tickets through the Ticketmaster app. The tickets in your account have a unique barcode that can only be accessed from the ticketholder’s account.

How do you verify Ticketmaster tickets?

You can verify that a Ticketmaster ticket is real by viewing it in your Ticketmaster app. Ticketmaster can’t verify tickets purchased from a third party.