DENVER — Ticketmaster is facing backlash from fans who say their tickets are disappearing — and reappearing in the accounts of random people, sometimes in different countries.
Denver resident Annette Barsick said when this happened to her, it jeopardized a special celebration for her and her husband's 30th wedding anniversary.
As an anniversary gift, Barsick had purchased tickets through Ticketmaster for two of their favorite artists, the Eagles and Garth Brooks, both performing in Las Vegas. The trip held sentimental value, as the couple had gotten married in Las Vegas three decades ago.
They planned the trip at the beginning of the summer, spending thousands on flights, a hotel, a rental car, and pet care. She and her husband were especially excited to see the Eagles perform at The Sphere.
"This is very extravagant for us," Barsick said. "But I was just like, it's a once in a lifetime trip. Let's just, let's do it."
A week before the trip, Barsick woke up to a nightmare: 15 emails from Ticketmaster informing her that her tickets had been transferred — to someone named “Jack” in Amsterdam.
“I looked in my Apple Wallet, and my tickets were gone. I was like, wait, what? I immediately checked my Ticketmaster account, and sure enough, my tickets were claimed by some stranger,” she said.
Shocked, Barsick contacted Ticketmaster and quickly learned she wasn’t alone.
“[The Ticketmaster representative] said he had thousands of calls similar to mine in the last two weeks, and it was not unusual,” Barsick said.
According to Barsick, the representative explained that scammers had been hacking into people’s email accounts and transferring their tickets. She was assured that her tickets would be returned within 10 to 48 hours.
But after four days and repeated calls, she had heard nothing. With just days until they were scheduled to leave, Barsick still didn’t know if she would be able to attend the concerts or if she’d get her money back.
“It took two minutes for this scammer to take my tickets. It should take two minutes for Ticketmaster to see this and put them back in my account,” Barsick said.
In a statement to 9NEWS, Ticketmaster said, “The top way fans can protect themselves is by setting a strong, unique password for all accounts—especially for their personal email, which is where we often see security issues originate.” The company added that they are “constantly investing in new security enhancements to safeguard fans.”
However, Barsick is skeptical. She pointed to other companies that offer better security features, such as notifying users when someone attempts to log in or using two-factor authentication.
“All they had to do was text me and ask, ‘Was I trying to transfer these tickets?’ They’re allowing this to happen, they know it’s happening, and they’re not doing enough to make the security better,” Barsick said.
Making matters worse, the Eagles tickets she bought during a presale in June are now much more expensive, and Barsick said she wouldn’t be able to afford them, even if she got a refund and had to repurchase them. More than the money, she said, it was about the experience.
Minutes after 9NEWS reached out to Ticketmaster and provided the company with Barsick’s ticket details, her tickets were finally recovered.
It will be a happy anniversary after all, but Barsick said she'll never buy tickets through Ticketmaster again. That might be easier said than done: a 2022 Yale article noted that Ticketmaster controls more than 70% of the market for ticketing and live events. Barsick said she's aware of that, and hopes sharing her story will raise awareness and encourage others to be vigilant.