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DETROIT Ticketmaster, the ticketing giant, is accused of cutting secret deals with scalpers that often mislead customers.
A hidden camera investigation revealed a serious problem in which the Commercial Ethics Office issued a warning to Metro Detroit's spectators.
Ticketmaster is one of the companies that many people turn to when they need tickets for big events at Little Caesars Arena, Ford Field and Comerica Park. But sometimes, people look at other websites or deal with scalpers, who get tickets for events that seem to be sold.
The Business Ethics Office has a new warning for anyone looking for tickets online.
"A lot of what happens when they get scammed online, is that they think they've consulted a reputable ticket broker, but when they visit the site, it's wrong, "said Laura Blankenship, of the BBB.
A video of the meeting of the world's biggest banknote scalpers in Vegas shows that Ticketmaster has recruited scalpers to resell a large number of tickets. According to a report, Ticketmaster receives a reduction in the transaction.
"They become very good partners for me," says one man in the video. "Make half a million, or whatever the total sales."
Ticketmaster is accused of using software called Trade Desk, which allows resellers to buy tickets from Ticketmaster and publish them on other sites. A hidden camera investigation revealed how it works.
"I want to know if the Ticketmaster is watching us using our multiple accounts," said the man with the hidden camera.
"No," answers the man. "I have a man who has over 200 Ticketmaster.com accounts."
When tickets are resold, it is often for-profit, which means that customers end up paying more, and unfortunately, some of the tickets also fall into the hands of scammers seeking to divert people.
Before purchasing tickets, customers should check the Verified Ticket Service website.
"They can go to VerifiedTicketService.com and see the list of verified ticket brokers and see which ticket brokers are trustworthy," said Blankenship. "It will probably be their safest bet."
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