Ticketmaster subsidiary shuts down Web sites after probe
St. Louis Business Journal
A Ticketmaster subsidiary will shut down Web sites with misleading domain names and pay the state $50,000 as part of an agreement reached Tuesday with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Madigan’s office launched an investigation into deceptive tactics allegedly used by TicketsNow after receiving dozens of complaints about the high prices ticket brokers charged for Hannah Montana and Bruce Springsteen concerts.
Madigan’s investigation revealed that TicketsNow’s brokers created customized Web sites where they resold tickets they had pre-purchased for high-profile events at prices significantly higher than face-value even though consumers believed they were buying face-value tickets from the actual event operators.
As a result of the state probe, TicketsNow, which is based in Rolling Meadows, Ill., has already disabled more than 100 suspect Web sites.
TicketsNow was operating hundreds of affiliated ticket resale Web sites with misleading domain names that included the names of local venues, sports teams or performers.
The agreement with Madigan’s office requires TicketsNow resellers to clearly identify themselves as ticket brokers and to expressly state that they are not affiliated with the venue and may sell tickets at above-face value.
TicketsNow agreed to no longer sell tickets to non-sporting events on any of its Web sites until after Ticketmaster makes the tickets available at face value to the general public.
TicketsNow also agreed to pay $50,000 to fund the state’s consumer fraud enforcement and education.
Most Read Stories |
Most Emailed Stories |
