What to know before buying summer concert tickets

With summer concerts and festivals in full swing, here are essential tips to avoid ticket issues and ensure a smooth experience.

With summer concerts and festivals in full swing, here are essential tips to avoid ticket issues and ensure a smooth experience.

Summer is the season for concerts with outdoor festivals and headlining tours from some of the world's biggest artists like Beyonce and Lady Gaga. But you don't want ticket issues ruining your fun. The BBB tells us it received nearly 13,000 complaints about ticket issues in 2024. So here's what you should know before you buy. Always go to the website for the artist, festival, or venue to find legitimate ticket information. For most major concerts. Likely buy through Ticketmaster, where you can also find verified resale tickets if the event is sold out. If you turn to other sites for resale tickets, read through their customer service page so you know what constitutes *** money back guarantee if something goes wrong. You should also look them up on BBB.org to make sure they don't have *** history of complaints. Finally, know that scammers often use social media to lure victims, so be skeptical of any supposed ticket deals you see there. You can usually spot *** fake ticket by comparing the row and seat number with the seating chart on the venue's website. If they don't match, it's probably *** fake. Reporting in Washington, I'm Amy Lowe.

What to know before buying summer concert tickets

With summer concerts and festivals in full swing, here are essential tips to avoid ticket issues and ensure a smooth experience.

Summer is the season for concerts, with outdoor festivals and headlining tours from some of the world's biggest artists like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. But before you grab those tickets, it’s important to navigate the digital world of ticketing with care.Digital ticketing, while convenient, has its challenges — like service fees, competition from scalpers and bots, and technical issues. The Better Business Bureau tells Hearst Television that it received 12,830 ticket complaints in 2024, along with 166 scam reports to its Scam Tracker. A BBB complaint is a marketplace transaction where a consumer is seeking a resolution, like a refund, while a scam tracker report is a warning from a person who had an experience with possibly illegal or fraudulent behavior. So how can you make sure your concert experience starts on the right note? Here are some tips for snagging tickets safely: Go straight to the sourceStart by visiting the official website of the artist, venue or festival for legitimate ticket information. For blockbuster tours, Ticketmaster is often the go-to, offering verified resale tickets if the event sells out.Research resale platforms If you're buying from a resale site, check its customer service policies to understand what purchase protections it offers. Most legitimate resale platforms will offer a money-back guarantee if your tickets do not arrive on time, as described, or if they are fraudulent. Research the company on BBB.org to make sure it does not have a history of complaints. You can also check out the member directory from the National Association of Ticket Brokers, which ensures its members meet certain legitimacy standards.Be skeptical of social media offers Scammers frequently use social media to lure in unsuspecting buyers with "too-good-to-be-true" ticket deals. If you’re tempted by a social media post, tread carefully and verify the source.Know how to spot fake ticketsCompare the row and seat numbers on your ticket with the venue’s official seating chart. If they don’t match, the ticket is likely fraudulent.

Digital ticketing, while convenient, has its challenges — like service fees, competition from scalpers and bots, and technical issues. The Better Business Bureau tells Hearst Television that it received 12,830 ticket complaints in 2024, along with 166 scam reports to its Scam Tracker. A BBB complaint is a marketplace transaction where a consumer is seeking a resolution, like a refund, while a scam tracker report is a warning from a person who had an experience with possibly illegal or fraudulent behavior.

So how can you make sure your concert experience starts on the right note? Here are some tips for snagging tickets safely:

Go straight to the source

Start by visiting the official website of the artist, venue or festival for legitimate ticket information. For blockbuster tours, Ticketmaster is often the go-to, offering verified resale tickets if the event sells out.

Research resale platforms

If you're buying from a resale site, check its customer service policies to understand what purchase protections it offers. Most legitimate resale platforms will offer a money-back guarantee if your tickets do not arrive on time, as described, or if they are fraudulent. Research the company on to make sure it does not have a history of complaints. You can also check out the member directory from the , which ensures its members meet certain legitimacy standards.

Be skeptical of social media offers

Scammers frequently use social media to lure in unsuspecting buyers with "too-good-to-be-true" ticket deals. If you’re tempted by a social media post, tread carefully and verify the source.

Know how to spot fake tickets

Compare the row and seat numbers on your ticket with the venue’s official seating chart. If they don’t match, the ticket is likely fraudulent.

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