AG Neronha Warning Against 'Speculative' Ticket Sale Scams

Attorney General Peter Neronha is warning consumers against so-called "speculative" ticket scams during Consumer Protection Week.

Scammers will offer to sell packages of tickets to events that they do not actually have. Once a buyer places an order, the scammer then attempts to purchase real tickets from another vendor, usually at a much lower price.

"Speculative tickets are associated with excessive price mark-ups and consumers ending up with different seats than those they believed they purchased or, worse yet, not obtaining a ticket to the show or event at all," Neronha's office wrote in a statement.

Local venues and events including the Newport Jazz Festival, Providence Performing Arts Center, Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin' Donuts Center have reported seeing speculative tickets listed at extreme markups.

“Unsuspecting patrons and fans should not be taken advantage of by companies that break the rules or engage in deception or fraud,” Neronha said. “I am urging Rhode Islanders to use caution and be on the lookout for red flags when it comes to purchasing tickets.”

When purchasing tickets online, consider the following to ensure ticket purchases are legitimate:

• Before purchasing a ticket online, check with the venue to see if tickets are on sale for the event. Tickets may be available at a much lower price directly from the venue, or the venue may have its own verified resale platform.
• If a ticket resale website or ticket broker is selling a ticket that a venue has not yet listed for sale, the ticket may be an undisclosed speculative ticket.
• Before purchasing a ticket, make sure that the ticket offer includes seating details. Check with the venue to be sure the seats exist at the venue.
• Be wary of misleading ticket advertisements. When you search for online tickets, advertisements for cheap tickets will often appear. Don’t let an advertisement pressure you into making a poor financial decision; shop around for good deals.
• Use common sense and do your research. If something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.