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Ticketmaster is a legit online platform that’s safe for concertgoers — as long as they buy and sell tickets within the app. But while Ticketmaster has robust systems that ensure the authenticity of every resold ticket, scam risks go up when other platforms are involved. Learn more about Ticketmaster, and download a powerful digital security app with real-time scam detection technology.
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Yes, Ticketmaster is a legitimate and trustworthy platform. While some users are frustrated with its pricing policies, user experience, and virtual queues, it isn’t a scam — in fact, it’s one of the safest places to buy and resell tickets, since it’s practically impossible for tickets purchased through the app to be duplicated or faked.
Tickets in the Ticketmaster app use dynamic QR codes that refresh several times a minute, preventing screenshots from being reused or resold. The tickets — and their associated QR codes — are only accessible from the account that purchased them, so if you bought your ticket through the app, you can be confident it’s authentic.
But don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security. First, we’ll take a closer look at how Ticketmaster works. Then, we’ll walk you through possible Ticketmaster scams that could affect concertgoers who buy or sell tickets off-platform.
Ticketmaster is an official ticket distributor that provides a platform to connect venues, event organizers, performers, and fans. Most of its revenue comes from service fees added to ticket prices and resales, profits from which are also shared with venues, promoters, and artists.
Some tickets on Ticketmaster are subject to a dynamic pricing model, where strong demand can drive prices up, similar to how airline fares fluctuate. However, artists or tour promoters may decide to sell tickets at a static price instead.
Event tickets purchased on Ticketmaster are sent to your account in the app, where you can view, transfer, sell, or download them to a digital wallet.
Sometimes, when artists set static ticket prices, demand skyrockets. To keep the process fair and deter scalpers, Ticketmaster uses a virtual queue. This system verifies users and helps slow down automated bots, giving genuine fans a better chance at securing tickets.
Fans are placed in a virtual line until it’s their turn to buy. To join, they first enter a “waiting room” about 10–15 minutes before the sale begins. Once the sale opens, each fan is randomly assigned a spot in the queue and notified when it’s their turn to purchase tickets. Places in the queue are assigned at random, so the system works a bit like a lottery.
Ticketmaster assigns random queue numbers to everyone in the pre-sale virtual waiting area.
Ticketmaster’s resale system lets fans list tickets directly on the platform for others to buy. Sellers set the price (though there may be price caps), and when a ticket is sold, Ticketmaster securely transfers it to the buyer’s account. The seller’s original QR code is immediately canceled, preventing duplicate entry.
Resellers pay a service fee taken from their payout, while buyers pay an additional fee at checkout. These fees vary by event and region. Resale isn’t always available — artists or organizers can choose to disable it.
Ticketmaster also offers a Transfer Tickets feature, which allows fans to send tickets to friends at no cost. As with resale, this option may be disabled depending on the event.
Yes, Verified Resale tickets on Ticketmaster are safe to buy. The platform verifies each ticket’s authenticity before it’s listed, so you can be confident it’s legitimate. By contrast, tickets bought through unauthorized resale sources or third-party platforms don’t carry that guarantee, leaving you at much higher risk of fakes or invalid entries.
While the Ticketmaster app is safe from fraudsters, Ticketmaster customers may still encounter scams when they stray off-platform. Common scams include phishing emails, spoofed websites, and clever social engineering ruses that trick desperate fans into sending money to fraudsters.
While you may believe you’re wise to scams, falling victim is all too easy — especially if you’re stressed, distracted, or desperate. To protect yourself, consider getting a powerful antivirus with real-time scam detection powered by AI.
Off-platform paymentScammers may try to lure you into paying for resale tickets off-platform, through apps like PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp. They claim they’ll send you the tickets via the Transfer Tickets feature after the payment clears, but they never do.
And, because many peer-to-peer payment apps have limited buyer protection, you won’t be able to cancel the transaction if the ticket never arrives. Selling tickets off-platform carries the same risks, leaving both buyers and sellers vulnerable.
These scams are especially common when artists or organizers disable official resale, leaving fans unable to buy Verified Resale tickets through the app. While the risks can’t be eliminated entirely, if you do choose to buy or sell off-platform, the safest option is to meet in person and complete the exchange simultaneously.
Counterfeit and speculative ticketsIf you buy tickets on a third-party platform like Craigslist or StubHub, or a social media site like Facebook Marketplace, there’s a risk of receiving counterfeit tickets, which are fake copies that won’t scan at the venue. Similarly, speculative tickets are listings for seats the seller doesn’t actually own, offered in the hope they can buy them later and transfer them to you. In both cases, buyers risk paying full price for tickets that never materialize.
To stay safe, always purchase through official sellers or resale platforms that guarantee authenticity — a lesson one Redditor learned the hard way. Avoid paper or PDF tickets at all costs, as scammers can send them to multiple people. Instead, insist that the seller transfers digital tickets to your Ticketmaster account.
Phishing scamsIn Ticketmaster phishing scams, fraudsters pose as Ticketmaster through fake emails or texts. Their goal is to get you to click a dangerous link, reveal your Ticketmaster account credentials, or send money to a cybercriminal.
Phishing messages may include:
Urgent payment requests.
Fake payment confirmations.
Login verification emails.
Account security alerts.
Password reset requests.
Phishing scams can take many forms, but they all aim to get you to click a link. That link might lead to a fake payment portal or a spoofed login page designed to steal your credentials. In other cases, simply responding to the message can set up a social engineering scheme, where the scammer convinces you to hand over tickets, money, or login details.
Fake websites mimicking TicketmasterIf you click on a phishing link or scan a malicious QR code, you may end up on a spoofed version of Ticketmaster — a cleverly designed fake website created by cybercriminals. Such sites may contain login pages that record your email and password, leading to account takeovers or fake payment portals that steal your money.
To avoid falling for spoofed website scams, make sure you’re on the real Ticketmaster website. Nothing beats typing the URL slowly and carefully in the address bar yourself and then verifying that the URL starts with “https” (and not “http”). If you’re still unsure, read our website safety check guide.
While it’s always safest to stick with Ticketmaster, if you have no choice but to buy or sell tickets off-platform, be sure to take extra precautions. Watch out for suspicious links, and insist that digital tickets be transferred directly to your Ticketmaster account. Only send payment once you’re confident the other party is legitimate, and double-check that you’re using the official app or website.
Here are some signs that may help you gauge whether a resale ticket is more likely to be real:
The account has been active for a long time and has a lot of reviews or friends.
The ticket can be transferred directly to your Ticketmaster account.
The seller can deliver the ticket right away.
The seller agrees to meet in person.
The seating details give a specific seat number, not just “Zone Seating.”
Getting in touch with Ticketmaster quickly could help you get your money or your tickets back if you’ve fallen victim to a scam. First, go to Ticketmaster’s Help Center. Click Contact Us, then My Tickets, and then What should I do if my tickets were lost, stolen or damaged? If you receive a phishing email posing as Ticketmaster, forward it to phishing@ticketmaster.com.
If you’ve been a victim of fraud, don’t hesitate to report the internet scam to the authorities and the FTC. Whether or not you’ve been scammed, be sure to document all transactions so you have as much evidence as possible in case something goes wrong.
Despite Ticketmaster’s efforts to combat bots, fraud, and scalpers, huge demand for tickets has occasionally resulted in high-profile mishaps, such as during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, when 3.5 million fans registered for pre-sale tickets and caused the website to crash.
Due to its prominent position on the ticket resale market, Ticketmaster has been accused of anti-competitive practices; in 2023, it even faced a U.S. Senate hearing on the matter. While it’s true that Ticketmaster holds a dominant place on the market, accounting for nearly 80% of all ticket sales for live concerts since 1995, its services have also been characterized as a “punching bag for consumer frustration,” allowing artists to increase profits while redirecting fans’ ire toward the platform.
While Ticketmaster has robust security features in place to protect customers from fraud, there’s very little the platform can do to combat phishing, spoofed websites, and scams in the digital wilderness of the internet. That’s where Avast comes in.
With real-time phishing and AI-powered scam protection, Avast Free Antivirus helps you avoid fake websites, warns you about dangerous links, and alerts you to potential scams, which are only getting more sophisticated and convincing. Download Avast for award-winning digital security software — and priceless peace of mind.
