Customers go to Ticketmaster to buy and resell a wide range of tickets, including tickets for concerts, sporting events, festivals, comedy shows, family events, live entertainment tours, and many more. However, with the company serving millions of customers each year, it is not unexpected that some encounter issues. Scammers are also keen to exploit the platform for their own gain. As such, ticket fraud is quite rampant, as reported in Ticketmaster reviews. This article will help you spot and avoid Ticketmaster scams. It answers common Ticketmaster questions regarding ticket fraud and offers practical tips to protect yourself. Key Insights Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, control 86% of the concert market and 73% of the overall event ticketing industry. Ticketmaster scams are on the rise, often taking the form of issues with reselling tickets or fake ticket purchases. To best protect yourself, only buy and resell tickets through the official platform. Confirm all transactions include an official Ticketmaster email address, URL, or phone number before exchanging information or funds. How to Spot Ticketmaster Scams Ticketmaster scams are fraudulent schemes designed and carried out by scammers posing as legitimate Ticketmaster representatives to trick people into buying fake tickets, sharing their personal or financial information, or sending them money. The top recent scams associated with the company include phishing emails, fake tickets, fake phone numbers, fake websites, refund scams, and gift card scams, among others, as described in our YouTube video below. Do you want to avoid consumer issues when buying tickets through Ticketmaster? Your first step is to learn how to spot scams to stay safe. The typical warning signs of Ticketmaster scams include: Someone is pushing you to buy tickets off the Ticketmaster platform. Grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors in emails, on websites, or printed on tickets. Aggressive emails trying to sell you tickets. Offers on tickets that seem “too good to be true.” Emails or phone calls about “issues” with tickets. Third payment platforms or requests for payment only in cash or through gift cards. Tickets that are printed and being resold – digital tickets have fewer issues. Aside from fraud by scammers posing as Ticketmaster representatives, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined by several states, filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation in September 2025. The complaint alleges that the company misleads consumers with hidden fees, uses a “bait and switch” approach to inflate ticket prices, and knowingly allows scalpers to resell tickets at much higher costs. According to the FTC, these practices have cost fans billions of dollars and highlight how even the official platform can pose risks to consumers. Most Common Ticketmaster Scams Ticketmaster fraud is common, which means you must protect yourself. Your first level of protection is always understanding how scammers are playing the game, so you can simply opt out. Fake Ticketmaster customer service phone numbers Denise Lanham had tickets to George Strait that she wanted to resell. She simply looked up the Ticketmaster phone number online and called the company using the number that showed up as the search result. Unfortunately for Ms. Lanham, she had called a fake number and ultimately lost $600 to the scammers who answered her call. The only thing that Ticketmaster could do in such a situation is: report the fake ticketmaster phone # to their security team and I should report to my local authorities. As the evidence above shows, fake Ticketmaster customer service number scams are quite common. This type of scam often targets customers seeking help with issues such as refunds, ticket sales and transfers, login issues, or event issues. Customers search for the company’s phone number online and dial the first one that appears in Google results, on forums, in sponsored ads, or in social media comments. However, these numbers are mostly fake and have been strategically placed across the internet by scammers. Here are some warning signs for a fake Ticketmaster customer service number: The representative asks you to share passwords or verification codes Demand for payments, whether via gift card or crypto, to have your issue resolved Pressure to act immediately Unfortunately, consumer experience shows there is little to no recourse if you call these numbers and fall for the scam. Therefore, to avoid Ticketmaster scams involving fake phone numbers, reach out to them only through the official communication channels listed on their Contact Us page. You may sign in on the website or the mobile app to chat with customer representatives, send an email, or call them at 1-800-653-8000. Source: ticketmaster.com Fake Ticketmaster websites Fake Ticketmaster websites are another common type of scam targeting customers. In this type of fraud, scammers create websites that closely mimic the official Ticketmaster site, including its URLs, colors, fonts, logos, and layouts, to trick customers into believing they are buying from the official site. The first step in identifying a fake Ticketmaster website is to check the URL. Double-check that the site is secure and uses HTTPS encryption. Ensure the domain is Ticketmaster.com. Then, inspect the rest of the URL for any unusual elements. For example, be cautious of misspelled URLs, extra numbers or letters in the domain, and unusual extensions. Also, briefly browse the site and look out for broken pages, poor design, grammar errors, and pop-ups requesting urgent payments or account verifications. Report a Scam Fake Ticketmaster emails Ticketmaster phishing email scams are designed to trick users into clicking malicious links, sharing login credentials, or providing payment information. The scammers go to great lengths to make their emails seem legitimate. Such was the case explained in customer review #5239399, whereby the customer received a fake confirmation when buying Taylor Swift Tickets: The person who scammed us even made it look like you send the mail and copied your mail code and all that stuff. She made it look like a Ticketmaster transfer Fortunately, there are ways to quickly spot fake Ticketmaster emails. First, check the sender’s email address. Authentic emails have the @ticketmaster.com domain. For example, this Reddit user received a confirmation email from “newsletter.app.ticketmaster.gmail.com” rather than from an official @ticketmaster.com email address. Source: reddit.com Next, look out for urgent language or pressure tactics in the email. For example, phrases such as “payment failed”, “act now”, and “your account is suspended.” Another major red flag is suspicious links. Do not open any links in the email if the domain of the sender address is not @ticketmaster.com. Also, be cautious of emails requesting that you share passwords, verification codes, banking details, or gift card payment information. Finally, pay attention to the email's overall formatting and grammar. Most phishing emails contain spelling errors, awkward wording, blurry logos, or formatting that is misaligned with Ticketmaster branding. Fake Ticketmaster Tickets Fake tickets on Ticketmaster are a common issue with sold-out events and shows. Scammers take advantage of the high demand to advertise and sell counterfeit tickets to unsuspecting customers through social media, messaging apps, or resale websites. Once you make a payment, they may send you a PDF or screenshots of what appear to be legitimate tickets, but they are actually fake. One Reddit user described how they were scammed and sent fake Lady Gaga tickets. Looked so real I didn’t think twice.. but then I realized they didn’t transfer them to my Ticketmaster, just my Apple wallet… Source: reddit.com Unconventional payment methods Consumer insights tell us that many scammers like to use unconventional payment methods. This is true for Ticketmaster scammers as well. Remember that Ticketmaster and authorized resellers will require typical payment methods – not gift cards. One school teacher learned about this Ticketmaster scam the hard way when she bought two tickets using gift cards and was still waiting for the tickets weeks later. In review #5388133, the customer wrote: I've called back several times and now they are saying that I never paid for the tickets and owe them $415 more!!! Unfortunately, there is no recourse for scams using unconventional payment methods, which is likely why scammers enjoy them so much. Ticketmaster refund scams Ticketmaster refund scams usually target people looking to cancel their tickets and request refunds. Scammers impersonate the company’s representatives via fraudulent phone numbers, emails, social media, or fake Ticketmaster websites. When customers reach out for help with refunds, the scammers ask them to send money through gift cards or cryptocurrency before the refund is processed. One reviewer (#6416529) described how they fell victim to a Ticketmaster gift card scam: I fell for a fake ticketmaster site. Tried to cancel and get a refund on tickets. When I finally got a human on the phone he said I had to get a $100 apple gift card! SCAM. Refund pending and 2 tickets gone to waste. Never again! Ticketmaster gift card scams Ticketmaster gift card scams are often associated with refund scams. Scammers request gift card purchases as part of the refund or purchase process, and after getting the gift card information, tickets are never purchased, and the amount on the gift card is stolen by the scammers. Another possible Ticketmaster gift card scam involves using an authentic gift card to purchase tickets through a scam call. Unsuspecting buyers, like a consumer who wrote a review #5556308 on the PissedConsumer platform, used a gift card to buy tickets over the phone. Unfortunately, the person they were speaking to was a scammer who impersonated Ticketmaster, took the funds, and failed to provide the tickets: I purchased the gift card and added $410.25 to purchase tickets…This morning I did not receive the tickets and the balance on the gift card in now only $6.15. How to Avoid Ticketmaster Scams Below are steps to avoid Ticketmaster scams: Use the official Ticketmaster website or app only Whether you want to buy tickets, contact customer support, or request a refund, ensure that you are on the official Ticketmaster website or app. Type the Ticketmaster URL directly into the browser or download their app and use it. Do not click on random links you find online or that are sent to your email to access the website. Use payment methods that are accepted by Ticketmaster If you can, use a credit card to pay as it offers better fraud protection. Otherwise, only use the payments accepted by Ticketmaster. These include debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Ticketmaster does not accept wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift card payments. Buy resale tickets through the official Ticketmaster website. To avoid resale scams, only buy tickets from the official website or other verified resale websites. Do not buy from private resellers who advertise or reach out to you directly on social media or other messaging apps. Verify your Ticketmaster tickets Check that the ticket is reflect on your Ticketmaster account not just your wallet and that the barcode refreshes automatically within the app. Contact Ticketmaster through their official customer support channels. Go directly to the Ticketmaster website or app’s Contact Us page and reach out through the options provided. Ignore suspicious or unsolicited communication from “Ticketmaster” These could be fake Ticketmaster emails, text messages, phone calls, or social media messages. Such messages typically claim that there is a problem with your tickets, payment, or account. Or, they may pressure you to click on a link, make an urgent payment, or share sensitive information. Steps to Take After Ticketmaster Scams If you find you’ve been scammed in a Ticketmaster scam, you may still have some options. 1. Contact Ticketmaster customer service In some cases, Ticketmaster may be able to help resolve the issue. You can call Ticketmaster customer service at 1-800-653-8000. The operational hours are Monday through Friday from 9 am to 8.30 pm (local time). On Saturday, support representatives are available from 9 am to 7 pm (local time), and on Sunday, from 9 am to 6 pm (local time). If you already have tickets and need assistance, you can use the Ticketmaster chat. Log into your account, find your order, and select the “Chat” button. Online virtual assistant is available 24/7, while agent support works from 9 am to midnight ET. 2. Contact the Federal Trade Commission The FTC, or Federal Trade Commission, is a consumer protection agency and may be able to help with the issue, or at least warn others or prosecute the scammers. 3. Contact your credit card company If you made your Ticketmaster ticket purchase using your credit card, you may be able to get your money back by initiating a chargeback. This can help in cases involving fake tickets or credit card fraud. Contact your credit card provider with evidence of the disputed transaction, including transaction records or receipts, emails from the seller, communication attempts with the seller or Ticketmaster, and proof that the tickets were invalid, fake, or never delivered. Your provider will review the evidence, investigate your case further, and, if they find your case satisfactory, issue you a refund for the transaction. 4. Monitor your personal and financial information If you’ve been scammed, there may be additional charges or changes to your personal and financial information. Set up credit and account monitoring and change your passwords on all platforms to help protect yourself. Keeping Yourself Safe with Ticketmaster Ticketmaster scams happen, but you don’t have to fall victim when you know the red flags to look out for. Most issues happen with ticket resellers, and when customers feel pressured to make a quick purchase. To best protect yourself from the many types of Ticketmaster fraud, stick to the official platform (and double-check the URL to ensure it’s official) for both original and resale tickets. Have you encountered a Ticketmaster scam? Report a scam or write an online review on PissedConsumer.com to inform and warn others. Report a Scam