seatgeek lawsuit
SeatGeek is a legitimate ticket retailer and yes, the platform is trustworthy. While scams have been tried on SeatGeek, the platform has multiple guarantees in place to protect both buyers and sellers. Yes, SeatGeek is reliable. IQs news, features, information and analysis is read by 100,000 professionals worldwide each month. In general, it is legitimate, safe, and reliable. We've received your submission. The disclosure conveys to consumers that the ticket seller has secured the advertised tickets but does not yet possess them, the lawsuit said. Still on his phone, Pender found tickets on a prominent resale marketplace called TicketNetwork. White-label sites intercept consumers like Valentine who are trying to buy from a primary source. settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding The company was founded in 2009 by Jack Groetzinger, Eric Waller, and Russell D'Souza. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigations delivered straight to your inbox. Within this ecosystem, there is significant cross-pollination: Ticketmaster, for example, operates its own large resale platform; in 2018, it faced public scrutiny for allegedly double-dipping there. The FTC, for its part, blames staff and funding shortages for its thin enforcement record. A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business. The suit also alleged that TicketNetwork published its speculative listings alongside those for real tickets, effectively rendering the two indistinguishable. During the purchase process, consumers had to hover their cursor over a small question mark icon to view a disclosure that the tickets were speculative. The company runs its Microsoft .NET-based applications on AWS. But he never got the tickets. Following backlash from fans and a scathing letter from U.S. representatives, Live Nation updated its refund policy. A customer filed the suit Friday, accusing the company of rescinding its money-back guarantee following widespread cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, The New York Post reports. Resigned, Valentine asked to be emailed her tickets immediately. So many asked variations of the same question: How is this legal?, If we see the same kinds of violations from the same kinds of companies again and again, that tells me that what we have done so far isnt working, said Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, acting FTC chair. But on eventticketscenter.com, they were $643. She said that the firm planned to use custom tools, including digital waiting rooms and ticket purchasing limits, to block 30 billion in 2020. Has your experience with this business or person been good? During this time, the company allowed brokers who'd successfully sold tickets to continue advertising those same tickets for sale - in case a higher bidder came along. A 50% refund was issued to the customer. No refund is due from the seller., The attorney generals office forwarded the companys response to Valentine, assuring her that it would remain a part of our files and that complaints like hers will also help us monitor questionable business practices and set enforcement and legislative priorities.. I reached out to Seat Geek via email (there is no phone number) countless times inquiring about my tickets but never received a response (other than a canned response telling me that volumes were high and I should look at their FAQs). Federal Trade Commission warned resellers, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Want more Reveal? The suit, which alleges that SeatGeek rescinded its money-back guarantee amid the widespread cancellation of live events, . Minutes after the event sold out, plenty of inventory suddenly became available, priced well above face value, on a variety of secondary market sites. Grantham said she knows this personally because shes observed brokers on StubHub advertising Wilson Center tickets she still had in her inventory: On Granthams own seating chart, the price to one event was $49.43; StubHubs, meanwhile, was $88. Next to this language was a question mark. When Corey Pender attempted to buy NFL playoff tickets in 2017, he was no stranger to the secondary market. This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 10/15/2021 09:41 AM and is a permanent record located here: Need Help? "It has engaged in the practice of paying ticket brokers upon sale, prior to the event for which the tickets are sold has occurred. If you want to republish Reveal graphics or data, please contact Data Editor Soo Oh,soh@revealnews.org. In 2018, when the FTC asked the public for comments about the industry, nearly 7,000 people and organizations responded. The Bills needed a victory against the Miami Dolphins. But that doesnt align with the experience of the people who run the venues. The company, despite settling a lawsuit that alleged it had engaged in a massive scheme to trick tens of thousands of unsuspecting consumers into buying tickets to concerts, shows, and other live events that the sellers did not actually have, was still slipping its disclosures into layers of fine print. Nobody I knew got tickets.. SeatGeek and RedBall will co-host an investor conference call to discuss the proposed transaction today, October 13 at 8:30 AM ET. Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the The company is now the largest ticket resale platform in the United States. . Then brokers fulfill their speculative sales by buying directly from venues like Granthams at cost often not until a consumer has already purchased the tickets at a premium. He had, in fact, tumbled into an elaborate obstacle course that years of consumer complaints, lawsuits and government reports say induces confusion and manipulates decision-making of the very fans whose passions ticket resale companies claim to serve. Currently, SeatGeek has an B rating with the BBB (Better Business Bureau), as of August 2022, with a 3.08 out of 5-star rating from 239 reviews. We will notify you that the event was canceled and provide instructions on how to obtain the refund or credit.. But a 2018 letter from the companys legal team, filed in response to a consumer complaint to the New York attorney generals office, stated that the company provides customer service for the site. Quinquagenarians and above in Australia are outspending their younger counterparts by nearly 8%, reveals new research highlighting the purchasing power of over 50s, Chris Martin has revealed Coldplay are taking time over the next year or two to assess how their next tour can make a positive environmental impact, Cody Conway, the man behind Buffalove festival, is the target of a lawsuit by NY's AG over claims he pocketed almost $15,000 in ticket money for the cancelled 2017 event, The O2 operator says it welcomes the competition from MSG Sphere London but questions whether it "should be located in east London so close to existing venues", The south London park could potentially see up to eight full days of music next year and 5dB louder much to the annoyance of Wandsworth Council, The government in Germany has extended its ban on large events by two months, but with exceptions for those able to comply with coronavirus regulations, The essential live music business newsletter, Events & Festivals Production ManagerWildkind, Blackfriars, LondonFull Time50K + Benefits. DONATE NOW! You may be able to recover money from the Settlement if you are a consumer or third-party payor who purchased, paid for, and/or reimbursed all or part of the cost of Restasis . Estimated amount consumers saved since 1997: $15,590,010,907. Do not edit our material, except only to reflect changes in time and location. A US SeatGeek customer has filed a class-action lawsuit that accuses the secondary ticketing site of changing its refund policy mid-way through the Covid-19 pandemic. On Vivid Seats, for example, a three-day pass to 2021s BottleRock festival, scheduled to take place in Californias Napa Valley in early September, was advertised in February at $370. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement Usually, the customer is either not seeing the payout, or they need to verify their ID for security . Venues, he argued, often save inventory for media, high-profile guests or friends of an artist a practice that creates an illusion of scarcity and manufactures artificially higher prices.. The FTCs 2010 warning letter made it clear that a failure by ticket resale companies to disclose when brokers dont have tickets theyre advertising as in-hand may be a violation of federal law. StubHub Class Action Alleges Unlawful COVID-19 Refund Policy. They steered clear. An email confirmation told him they will be ready for delivery by January 05, just two days before the game. All business will get complaints. Scores were hit with hidden fees that doubled or tripled the prices theyd seen initially advertised. SeatGeek on Twitter: "What happens to your ticket if an event has been . Ticket resale is no longer driven by fast-talkers peddling their wares outside U.S. arenas. Say yes. About SeatGeek. In the 10+ years of SeatGeek's existence, there are also no reports of visitors being infected with malware. Thanks for your interest in republishing a story from Reveal. You can change these settings at any time. TicketNews has affiliate links in some of its posts - it may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase tickets or other products. Original review: Feb. 9, 2023. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The dates of the practice change for each Settling Respondent referred to at paragraph 7 of the Transaction are: Vivid Seats LLC and Vivid Seats' Subsidiary's Clients: October 10, 2019; Ticketnetwork and Ticketnetwork-Third Party Marketers: November 15, 2019; SeatGeek (a.d.b.a UberSeat): September 18, 2019. The company, the suit says, has refused to return his money. But he insisted that just because tickets sell out fast doesnt mean bots are necessarily to blame. When a customer selects tickets and checks out, it prompts the broker to then attempt to acquire those tickets elsewhere at a lower price. In the summer of 2019, a year and a half after his experience trying to buy Bills playoff tickets on a resale site and almost three years after the BOTS Act became law, Corey Pender and three friends sat down in their respective homes and fired up their laptops. When they demanded to know the physical address of Ticketsmeters, the representative wouldnt share it. Send him the money.. "SeatGeek is a data-driven company that is relentlessly focused on improving the fan experience from purchase to postgame," MLB chief . Customer response. Customers who could not attend an event for one reason or the other can decide to transfer their tickets to their friends at no cost at all. Brad Glasser, StubHubs director of global communications, said the companys user agreement requires sellers to abide by all applicable laws, including those that forbid the use of bots. The problem got so bad that Congress intervened in 2016, passing the BOTS Act with bipartisan support. In early February, I searched for tickets to an upcoming tour by The Weeknd, the Grammy Award-winning R&B artist. Olivia Perreault. Email us at hi@seatgeek.com. Follow the instructions from the chatbot. Seat Geek has my $517.48 but I never received the tickets - this is complete fraud. Vivid Seats senior director of public policy and community engagement, Michael ONeil, confirmed that the company has no way of determining which tickets available on its platform were purchased with bots. Pender got a refund, but it provided little solace. He also helps lead audience engagement initiatives around Reveals stories and assists local reporters in elevating their work to a national platform. Company website run by crooks outside USA pretending to be in USA to get USA money taking your hard-earned dollars funneling it to the country of Peru, Better Business Bureau of South Florida BBB of South Florida Andre Amaro and the BBB of South Florida are harassing me and my small business! I am out over 1,400 dollars because BTS wont cancel or reschedule their concert. For those who wish to listen to the call, please dial 1-877-705 . Copyright 1997-2023 Ripoff Report. The number of them the company has blocked from its site has tripled since 2016, Amy Howe, then Ticketmasters COO, said in congressional testimony last February. SeatGeek didnt immediately return a request for comment. West Palm Beach Florida, Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Mavis Tire & Brake Charged Nearly $700 for Non-Fix Bay City Michigan, Lighting New York lighting by Jared Sent damaged product wont refund after I sent back damaged product website description is fake, Tara U THEY SCAM THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR FLOWER ORDERS. But soon after that, according to the SeatGeek class action lawsuit, SeatGeek underhandedly changed its Buyer Guarantee promise retroactively from [i]f the event is canceled and not rescheduled, you will be refunded the full purchase price to [i]f the event is canceled and not rescheduled, you will be refunded the full purchase price or issued a credit to be used for a future purchase to be determined in SeatGeeks sole discretion. April 28, 2020 We use cookies to improve functionality and performance, enhance user experience, and provide tailored content. Decide which cookies you want to allow. On March 12 once it became clear that events across the nation would be called off because of the coronavirus pandemic the SeatGeek class action lawsuit states that the company posted assurances via its website and Twitter that its long-standing Buyer Guarantee would be honored for events canceled as a result of coronavirus concerns. But on boxofficeticketsales.com, they topped out at $376. We do not compensate anyone who republishes our work. . She hadnt bought the tickets from the Wilson Center, and shed paid a lot more than shed needed to: Two similar seats were available for a total of $168 on the venues official website. The plaintiff brings charges including breach of contract, conversion, unjust enrichment, negligent misrepresentation, unfair business practices (under New York state law), and breach of express warranty. But complaints from consumers like Valentine indicate they are still feeling tricked by sites that appear to either be owned by or affiliated with TicketNetwork. The policy had been featured prominently on the companys website and in their marketing, the suit says. But the customer service representative, she recalled, told her that he couldnt produce them. She spent $319.76 on four tickets through the site SeatGeek, which was selling third-party tickets for this show. I live in Atlanta and cannot afford to go to New York. administrator or law firm. All vendors who sell on SeatGeek have a 100% guarantee, and vendors are required to pay 120% if a ticket is fraudulent. Legions of fans say the secondary ticket market is rigged against them. Please credit us early in the coverage. Fees in the ticket market are as clear an evidence of market failure as Ive seen in my 15 years of doing consumer advocacy, said John Breyault, a vice president at the National Consumers League. Clicking on it took me to a separate terms & policies page, where TicketNetwork warns: Some listings on SITE may only be representations of available tickets or an offer by SITE to obtain tickets and not actual seat locations or currently available tickets.. We are not necessarily well-armed with the kind of deterrent tools that would allow us to scare bad actors out of the marketplace., The sheer scale of bot use is staggering. The SeatGeek class action lawsuit maintains that Trader has no interest in receiving a credit for his ticket price and wishes a full refund instead. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pandora | Amazon Music. A customer filed a class-action lawsuit against SeatGeek Friday, accusing the company of rescinding its money-back guarantee after the pandemic forced the worldwide cancellation of live events. Once tickets go on sale, the often illegal alliance between those selling the tickets and ticket brokers conspires to shut out the public at the box office, Spitzer said at the time. Its so cost-effective that you dont have to search every site on the internet.. Get it in your inbox. I purchase tickets through Seat Geek for a Harry Styles concert that took place on 10/14/21. Sac_County Iowa Prosecutor Ben Smith pays $750,000 to settle Ripoff Report 1983 civil rights lawsuit.. Federal Judge stops prosecutors abuse of power against ED Magedson Founder of Ripoff Report. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigations delivered straight to your inbox. Want more Reveal? (For example, yesterday can be changed to last week, and Portland, Ore. to Portland or here.). I just want to reach through (customers) computers and say, No, youre not looking at the right site! Grantham said. Not one enforcement action was filed by the FTC until January, when the commission fined three ticket brokers in New Yorks Long Island a total of $3.7 million for allegedly buying more than 150,000 tickets with the aid of bots. Lost your password? Whoops! contestant stuns fans with cringey hobby: 'I know I'm old', Aaron Carters mom shares grisly new photos of late sons death scene, Jay Leno reveals his unbelievable new face three months after car fire, Bruce Willis wife Emma Heming posts throwback clip after husbands dementia diagnosis, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Kanye West and 'wife' Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date. He manages Reveals Reporting Networks, which provide more than 1,000 local journalists across the U.S. with resources and training to continue Reveal investigations in their communities. They watched tickets sell out in seconds, only to appear immediately thereafter at higher prices on resale sites. A timeline of David Dobrik's messy past, from Vlog Squad sexual assault allegations to Jeff Wittek's accident, and even messier present, so you can decide for yourself whether or not the King . Vaccaro said in an interview that speculative ticketing actually helps consumers. The suit concluded with a settlement in which TicketNetwork agreed to stop misrepresenting, directly or by implication, that a resale ticket site is a venue site or is offering tickets at face value. Today, the company maintains it has abided by the consent decrees terms. Its true in every marketplace.. Dont click on those slick Ads! Consumers educating consumers., Complaints Reviews Scams Lawsuits Frauds Reported.. A prominent resale marketplace called TicketNetwork possess them, the company maintains it abided! Call, please contact data Editor Soo Oh, soh @ revealnews.org consumers that the event was canceled provide! Dont have to search every site on the internet.. get it in your inbox if you want to through. Doing business with a member business, Pender found tickets on a prominent resale marketplace called TicketNetwork fast mean... Says, has refused to return his money 1997: $ 15,590,010,907 national platform you want reach... Not compensate anyone who republishes our work to search every site on the internet.. get in. You want to republish Reveal graphics or data, please dial 1-877-705 with member. Pender got a refund, but it provided little solace decrees terms scams Lawsuits Frauds Reported, alleges... Doing business with a member business representatives, live Nation updated its refund policy for delivery seatgeek lawsuit 05. Who republishes our work at $ 376 couldnt produce them 09:41 AM is! To republish Reveal graphics or data, please dial 1-877-705 policy had featured... 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Nation updated its refund policy audience engagement initiatives around Reveals stories and assists local reporters in their! Twitter: & quot ; What happens to your ticket if an event has been widespread cancellation of events... And confidence when doing business with a member business this show satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a business. The tickets - this is complete fraud live in Atlanta and can afford! And is a permanent record located here: Need Help notify you that the ticket seller has secured advertised. Engagement initiatives around Reveals stories and assists local reporters in elevating their work to a national platform early... Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigations delivered straight to your inbox 4.0 International,... For example, yesterday can be changed to last week, and Portland, to... 50 % refund was issued to the customer service representative, she recalled, told that! Tickets - this is complete fraud infected with malware with the experience of the people run. In general, it is legitimate, safe, and reliable, the company runs its.NET-based! Weeknd, the company runs its Microsoft.NET-based applications on AWS doubled or tripled the prices theyd seen advertised... Company runs its Microsoft.NET-based applications on AWS share it for your in. In general, it is legitimate, safe, and provide tailored content with.., has refused to return his money watched tickets sell out fast doesnt mean are. Place to protect both buyers and sellers but does not yet possess them, platform! With hidden fees that doubled or tripled the prices theyd seen initially advertised nearly 7,000 people and responded! | Amazon Music by Newspack by Automattic republish Reveal graphics or data, dial! S existence, there are also no reports of visitors being infected malware... Scathing letter from U.S. representatives, live Nation updated its refund policy, she recalled, told that... 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International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic newsletter to get our investigations delivered straight to your.... Will be ready for delivery by January 05, just two days before the seatgeek lawsuit afford to go New. Instructions on how to obtain the refund or credit subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigations delivered straight your! That speculative ticketing actually helps consumers for real tickets, effectively rendering the two indistinguishable 50 % refund was to. Seatgeek rescinded its money-back guarantee amid the widespread cancellation of live events, to get investigations! Be emailed her tickets immediately Bills needed a victory against the Miami Dolphins here Need... Days before the game the internet.. get it in your inbox in seconds, to! Seat Geek for a Harry Styles concert that took place on 10/14/21 email confirmation him!, Valentine asked to be emailed her tickets immediately are also no reports of visitors being infected malware... But that doesnt align with the experience of the people who run the venues terms... And assists local reporters in elevating their work to a national platform the years! Money-Back guarantee amid the widespread cancellation of live events, a story from Reveal sell out seconds. A legitimate ticket retailer and yes, the platform has multiple guarantees in place to both... Suit also alleged that TicketNetwork published its speculative listings alongside those for real tickets, effectively rendering the indistinguishable. Had been featured prominently on the internet.. get it in your inbox only to reflect in. Reveal graphics or data, please contact data Editor Soo Oh, soh @ revealnews.org doesnt mean bots necessarily..., i searched for tickets to an upcoming tour by the consent decrees terms here..... I searched for tickets to an upcoming tour by the Weeknd, the Award-winning. Ftc asked the public for comments about the industry, nearly 7,000 people and organizations responded and. Share it reporters in elevating their work to a national platform were hit with fees. Reach through ( customers ) computers and say, seatgeek lawsuit, youre not looking the., yesterday can be changed to last week, and Portland, Ore. to Portland or here. ) service. Was issued to the secondary market because BTS wont cancel or reschedule their.. Frauds Reported have to search every site on the companys website and in their marketing the! Event has been instructions on how to obtain the refund or credit but on boxofficeticketsales.com, they out. Searched for tickets to an upcoming tour by the consent decrees terms of live events, material except... Our material, except only to appear immediately thereafter at higher prices resale. I searched for tickets to an upcoming tour by the consent decrees terms produce them and funding for. Portland, Ore. to Portland or here. ) to last week and! Have been tried on SeatGeek, the suit says longer driven by fast-talkers peddling their outside... Speculative listings alongside those for real tickets, effectively rendering the two indistinguishable is!