News August 23, 2018

Viagogo set up a fake Facebook account to con music fans: Exclusive

Viagogo, arguably the most hated ticket resale company in the world, has created a Facebook account to hijack upcoming music events in Australia.

Through posts to an account called ‘Things To Do in Australia’ , the Swiss-based ticket resale site makes the events look legitimate, essentially directing music fans away from genuine ticketing sites, and right into the hands of their own morally bankrupt platform, which has been known for selling tickets that don’t actually exist.

Created in December last year, it’s labeled an “Australian events calendar.”

“Discover the best top things to do in Australia, Find tickets to Australia’s latest & greatest live concerts, sports, arts, theatre & family events,” its ‘About’ page reads.

A TIO source has said Australian artists are even co-hosting some of the events under the assumption the page is a legitimate resource for fans. Many major Australian tours are listed, including Yours & Owls Festival, Amy Shark, Bob Dylan, Pink, and Queens of the Stone Age.

Viagogo’s Australian Events Facebook account

It’s not branded with any Viagogo affiliation, thus distancing it from the media and political shit storm that has been coming in in droves, both locally and overseas. In Australia, the NSW State Government issued an “urgent public warning” about Viagogo, after numerous complaints regarding their shady practices.

viagogo-fake-fb-account things to do in australia

Things To Do In Australia Facebook account

In the UK, an investigation by ITV resulted in surprising footage of a man who claims to work for Viagogo who said he was tasked with buying tickets from scalpers to fulfil existing customer orders at Sheeran’s Wembley Stadium gig.

Meanwhile over the pond, the New Zealand Commerce Commission is taking Viagogo to court under the Fair Trading Act.

The regulatory body alleges that Viagogo has made false or misleading representations across a range of its business activities, including claims that it was an “official” seller, tickets were limited or were sold out and that consumers were “guaranteed” to receive valid tickets for the event they had paid for.

Earlier this month, Ticketmaster announced its decision to close its resale sites in the UK and Europe. The decision was welcomed by Australian operators but they said companies like Viagogo still pose a major threat.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.