NSW Fair Trading says that it is investigating ticket reseller Viagogo as consumer complaints against the company spike in line with the reintroduction of ticketed events.
They report that there have been 36 complaints received about Viagogo in 2021 so far, 16 relating to ticket scalping, 11 relating to the cancellation of events that were not refunded, 5 relating to misleading customers that they are the authorised seller, 3 for tickets not being delivered in a timely manner and 1 for not providing age restriction advice.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rose Webb said with the arts and entertainment already struggling, ticket scalpers and especially Viagogo should not get away with ripping off consumers, adding, “It was big news in 2018 when NSW Fair Trading made ticket scalping illegal by making it an offence for ticket resellers such as Viagogo to charge more than 10% extra on the original ticket price and transactions costs”..
She added, “We did briefly see a drop off in complaints but then we saw a spike at the end of 2019″, and “When the pandemic hit complaints obviously dropped off again as events were not able to go ahead”.
She also said, “However now that events are back on the agenda, we have seen a spike again and despite Viagogo being explicitly warned and receiving a $7 million fine from the ACCC in 2020, they continue to flout the rules”, and “Those within the entertainment and arts industry have been vocal about the obliteration of their industry due to COVID and they do not need the additional stress of ticket resellers scalping well-meaning fans”, adding, “We will be investigating and using our powers to stop any unlawful behaviour.”
NSW Fair Trading says that in 2021 the most common complaints related to tickets for the musical Hamilton exceeding the 110% cap and Ms Webb urged anyone who had witnessed or experienced ticket scalping to report the incident at the Fair Trading website: Make a complaint | NSW Fair Trading
For more information about consumer rights and ticket reselling go to Tickets, parties and events | NSW Fair Trading
A report by John Alwyn-Jones, Special Correspondent, Travel and Tourism, Global Travel Media.
