The Lack of STAR
All reputable ticket vendors will be a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) , a regulatory body for the entertainment and ticketing industry. All members will abide by a code of practice. STAR stands for Secure Tickets from Authorised Retailers. If you find a vendor without a visible STAR logo you could be putting yourself in danger.
Ticket Missing a Face Value
It is a legal requirement for vendors (this includes touts) to tell customers the original face value of a ticket. You are within your rights to ask what the original value of the ticket is. Be wary of any ticket in which the face value is obscured or blanked out – this could mean vendors are lying about the original price.
Sealed Envelopes
Do not accept your tickets in a sealed envelope without checking them first. If you do not check your tickets at the point of purchase there is no way of knowing that are what you expect, or even for the show you expect.
Virtual Tickets/ etickets
Recently ticketing companies have been releasing virtual/ electronic tickets that can be printed off for admission. These work with a scanning technology – i.e there will be a bar code on the ticket which the theatre will scan to allow admission. As the tickets can be printed any number of times then there is a ticket could be sold more than once. The scanners will detect if the barcode has already been scanned and any duplicates WILL NOT be admitted. NB Those who chose to purchase virtual tickets from reputable companies should be wary when choosing an email address to send the ticket to. Anyone who opens that email could in theory print that ticket.
‘Sold Out’ Shows
Some vendors will claim a show is ‘sold out’ even when it isn’t in order to justify charging way over the face value of the ticket. To check if a show is sold out, contact the theatre’s box office.
Ebay & Ticket Exchange Sites
Whilst Ebay can have great bargins on tickets from people who can no longer attend events, more often than not sellers will charge way over face value. If a show is sold out and you are turning to an auction or exchange site, know what you are prepared to pay and know who the seller is. Sellers that accept secure payment (such as paypal) and have a good selling history are generally more trust worthy than new sellers without a proven track record.
Non Secure Websites
When buying online, safe websites will have a secure (padlock) logo at the top of the page’s browser. If a site does not have a secure symbol it should be treated with caution.