Eventbrite is a company that provides tools and a marketing platform for people to advertise, manage, and provide tickets for sale to their in-person or virtual events. However, some people host fake events, promote them on Eventbrite, and then charge people a fee for tickets to the fake event thereby scamming people. To use Eventbrite, you must learn how to spot these scammers and not fall prey to their mischief. Lets know more about Eventbrite Scam.
Eventbrite scams are becoming popular. Many people have reported to have been conned by someone who hosted a fake event and sold fake tickets to people on Eventbrite. These scams also include the sale of fake tickets to real events. There are ways to avoid being scammed on Eventbrite. You can get your money back as well if you have been conned before.
Is Eventbrite a Legitimate Company?
Yes, the company is legit. The number of events that use Eventbrite to sell their tickets are about 4 million. Up to two hundred million event tickets have been sold through Eventbrite recently. You can safely use a credit card on Eventbrite with no worries. This is because the company makes use of industry-standard encryption and follows PCI requirements. It is only unfortunate that scammers can use Eventbrite to con people by creating fake events and selling fake tickets to people.
Kinds of Eventbrite ticket scams you should avoid
The popular ticket scams you may encounter on Eventbrite are:
- A fake ticket that won’t grant you an entrance at the event’s venue
- Buying a ticket but been sent a completely different one
- Buying a ticket but never receiving it
- Purchasing a fast lane pass that you realize isn’t usable again upon getting to the event’s venue.
How do I recognize a fake ticket?
Spotting the difference between a fake ticket and a real one can be difficult but not impossible. Here are tips you should take note of so that you won’t become a victim of purchasing a fake ticket on Eventbrite and end up being scammed.
1. Lookout for tickets that look a bit different from the rest. They could have wrong spellings, color, or different ink. Fake tickets are also usually produced using lighter paper.
2. Don’t buy tickets from buyers that aren’t authorized. Verify with the organizer of the event to know their official ticket distributor. Only buy from the authorized ticket seller.
3. Be wary of impossible deals. If tickets are being sold for an event that is sold out already, it is obvious that can only be a scam.
Steps to take after noticing you have been scammed
You might have bought a fake ticket and that may destroy your chances of attending the event. Nevertheless, there are steps you can take to get justice for the wrong done to you and get a refund. These are some of the steps.
- Report to the police
- Initiate a chargeback to get your refund
- Contact Eventbrite the moment you realize you have been scammed
- Alert the Federal Trade Commission about the scam. You can report the case to them through their website or call them on this line (877) 382-4357.
- Send a demand letter directly to the merchant
How to let Eventbrite know you have been scammed
If you discover that you have been scammed on Eventbrite, visit their website and do the following:
- Go to the section of the website where events are listed and select the particular event
- At the lower part of the event listing you will see ‘Report This event’, click it
- Fill the report form and select the best option that explains your situation
- Click on submit report
Eventbrite’s Price Plan and Refund Policy
Eventbrite does not receive all the money for the tickets sold on their website. They only collect 2.5% of the value of the ticket and they charge $0.99 for every ticket that is sold on their website. Furthermore, they collect processing fees for credit card usage. So, when you pay for an event through Eventbrite only a small portion of your money goes to the company.
Eventbrite claims that if any organizer has sold a ticket on their website and the buyer wants a refund, they will return the money with them including the ones they received for processing.
Conclusion
Eventbrite has made promoting and ticketing to an event easy for many event organizers. That said, fraudulent people have taken advantage of this website to dupe people of their hard-earned money. Endeavor not to fall prey to their scam but if you find out you’ve just been conned on Eventbrite, take steps to get your money back and report the perpetuator of the crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I contact Eventbrite’s customer service?
You can contact the customer service department to speak to them about your complaints, concerns, and questions. You can call this number to do so, 888-810-2063. You can as well drop any complaints you have on their website.
2. Are there alternatives to Eventbrite?
Yes, there are and they are quite many. Examples of some are Ticketmaster, Soapbox Engage, and events by Facebook.
