DENVER – Taylor Swift’s arrival to the Mile High City is all the rage right now, but if you’re still hunting for tickets for her tour stop this weekend, you might want to consider a few things lest you fall prey to scammers and lose a bunch of money along the way.
Already, a public advisory has been issued by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, to let people know how to protect themselves (and their wallets) from scammers selling fake tickets to live events ahead Swift’s performance on Friday and Saturday.
“If you’re a Taylor Swift fan, or you’re checking out any of the other amazing events in Colorado, don’t let it be a cruel summer,” said Weiser in prepared remarks. “Be a smart eventgoer by making sure the tickets you’re buying are authentic and you know the full cost of any tickets you’re purchasing.”
Weiser said the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has received dozens of complaints involving Taylor Swift tickets, so it’s important to remember a few rules before making that big purchase:
Understand the “all-in” price. Sometimes the advertised price of a ticket is much lower than the true price because of add-on fees. When shopping for tickets, be sure to understand the full cost including fees.
Research the ticket seller first. Purchasing tickets from an event’s official primary ticket seller is the best way to ensure you are buying a legitimate ticket. When purchasing tickets from a secondary ticket reseller, consumers should research the seller by using reputable sources like the Better Business Bureau. Be sure to read the seller’s refund policy before buying. Consumers should be particularly skeptical about tickets offered for sale on social media or when the ticket seller asks to be paid through a peer-to-peer money transfer application like CashApp, Venmo, or Zelle.
“When we use these payment apps, like Zell or Venmo, we have to know their terms and conditions,” said Roseann Freitas, a PR and communications manager for the BBB, who spoke with Denver7 about the dangers of scammers for high-priced concerts like the one happening this weekend. “Now, Venmo will tell you they're not meant to be a business transaction platform, that you're only really to send money to people, you know, that's the key there.”
Check the details before buying. For events that have assigned seats, make sure the ticket provides all necessary information (i.e., section, row, seat, disability access, etc.).
Verify tickets after purchase. After you purchase tickets, inspect them to make sure the time, date, and location listed matches the details of the event that you made the purchase for.
Be cautious of paper or emailed tickets. Many Colorado venues only accept mobile tickets. If you are offered paper or emailed tickets to a venue that only accepts mobile tickets, the offer may be a scam. Research the venue’s ticketing policy before buying a paper or emailed ticket.
Be cautious when buying tickets before they are sold to the general public. Scammers often try to capitalize on fans’ eagerness for tickets by offering tickets before they are available for sale to the public. Sellers of these “speculative” tickets may have no actual intention or ability to buy the promised tickets and a consumer may end up paying for a ticket that never existed. While many legitimate presales exist, consumers should ensure a ticket offer is an official presale by researching the venue, time, and date.
Understand ticket restrictions. Some primary ticket sellers place terms and conditions on tickets they sell. Consumers should always understand the restrictions and risks (e.g., “rain or shine”) of tickets they are buying either directly from the primary seller or from a reseller.
“My best advice? I would wait until 24 hours before (the event),” said Kyle Zorn, a content strategist for TickPick, an online marketplace for events tickets based out of New York. “We've seen the biggest price drop the day of the show, generally a few hours before.”
If you’re still waiting for last-minute deals, Zorn said the best price is an hour before show time.
“I don't think we'll see another tour like this for a very long time. It is the most in-demand tour on record, Far and away the most expensive ticket this summer,” Zorn told Denver7. There are tickets available, but the quantity available for these shows in Denver this weekend “is very small,” he said.
Currently, the cheapest tickets for Friday night’s show can be found on StubHub, where they’re priced at about $983 for a seat all the way up in the stadium. On SeatGeek, the lowest-priced ticket is $1,035 for a section tucked behind the stage. And on TickPick, the lowest-priced ticket is $1,345, another seat where the stage is somewhat obstructed from view.
If you suspect that a person, entity, or website is violating laws related to ticketing for an event in Colorado, report this activity to the Colorado Department of Law by filing a complaint on StopFraudColorado.gov.
The country-turned pop star is expected to generate $140 million to the state’s GDP, with Colorado “Swifities” spending about $200 million over the course of two days, according to the Common Sense Institute.
