Social media groups with large number of Indian diaspora in Australia, particularly Melbourne, are being flooded with desperate messages from people trying to sell tickets at a loss: “I’ve got 4 tickets for sale!! Happy to negotiate price!! Don’t want them to go to waste!!”
Experts say these kinds of posts are becoming all too common, as bots and scamsters are now super-charging ticket scalping, buying large quantities of tickets to sell them at inflated prices.
Ticket scalping, the illegal practice of reselling tickets for a profit, has been around for years. However, thanks to advanced bots that can quickly purchase tickets faster than the average consumer, the problem is on the rise.
Additionally, the consumer advocacy groups warn that this technology is allowing bots to grab tickets in bulk, which are then resold at prices far higher than the original cost.
In Australia, reselling tickets at a price more than 10% above the original cost is illegal in most states and territories. For instance, last year, the Victorian government declared Taylor Swift’s Melbourne tour a “major event,” meaning tickets could not be sold for more than a 10% mark-up.
However, if you can’t attend an event, you’re still allowed to resell your ticket — but the price cannot exceed the original amount by more than 10%. The law aims to prevent individuals from taking advantage of the public by overcharging for tickets.
Officially, ticket resellers must be authorised by the event organiser, with Ticketmaster and Ticketek being the primary platforms.
Despite these rules, the use of bots to snap up tickets continues to escalate, and some unauthorised resellers even sell the same ticket multiple times, leaving fans disappointed when they arrive at the event only to find their ticket has already been used.
In Victoria, selling tickets for more than 10% above face value for major events can lead to fines ranging from $806 to $483,500. Additionally, advertisements for such resales must include key details, such as the ticket’s original price, the seating area, and the price being requested.
The Major Events Act 2009 protects fans from being exploited by scalpers, ensuring that tickets to major events are available for the general public. Anyone caught breaking the rules, including publishers like Viagogo, Ticketmaster Resale, and Facebook, faces penalties.
If you suspect someone is illegally reselling a ticket, or violating resale laws, you can report it to an Authorised Ticketing Officer who can investigate further.
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