[Mat-Pecker]

Well today I have learnt a costly lesson, when it comes to buying festival tickets on-line.

I bought weekend camping tickets for one of the biggest festivals in the UK, Reading Festival

I have been counting down the days since successfully booking my ticket in late March.

Now in the last few days, my ticket should have floated through the letter box and onto my door mat, making me the happiest man on this Earth.

However, this is not the case. I have been the victim of a simple but effective fraud which has been successfully done to over 10,000 unsuspecting victims in the UK.

I paid £220 for the 3 day event which includes camping. I purchased off of this site, as the site I was trying to use kept crashing, due to the high volume trying to buy tickets. This event always sells out in the first day.

So in my worried state thinking I wouldn't get my ticket and wouldn't be able to go to this awesome event with all my mates. I used the site that my friends all used "SOS MasterTicket".

BIG MISTAKE!

They were just fraudsters

I only called them last week to ask when the tickets should be arriving, as they only get delivered 2-14 days before the events to stop touts. Oh the irony.

They assured me in the next few days.

Yet here I am now, but days away from the event, ticketless and angry.

The site has been taken down the number no longer works that I used last week and I am high and dry

"Luckily" my bank is refunding me even though I used a debit card.

I just want to put it out there how bigger @!&^%^s these people are and to warn anybody else off buying from them

[SimonH]

Originally Posted by Mat-Pecker

"Luckily" my bank is refunding me even though I used a debit card.

Excellent news, do you mind me asking who you bank with, I belive that's beyond the call of duty actually.

[Chrisoldinho]

Unlucky mate, now you'll just have to use the money to go and buy from a tout on the day

[PoochJD]

Hi,

Sorry to hear that you were screwed over by SOS Mastertickets. However, I have to say "Londontickets.co.uk" (one of their previous con incarnations) was widely reported on the BBC1 show "Watchdog" back in January 2008. Details on the company can be found here.

Ultimately, the simple rule for purchasing any kind of ticket for concerts, theatre shows, etc, is to NEVER buy them from anyone, except authorised official companies. Simply put, 99% of these companies are con artists who never have the tickets, can never get the tickets, and will never get the tickets!


Pooch

[Dony]

Originally Posted by PoochJD

Hi,

Simply put, 99% of these companies are con artists who never have the tickets, can never get the tickets, and will never get the tickets!

or they arrive the day after the concert, which is what happened my nephew this year.

[Mat-Pecker]

Yes I was planning on using ticketmaster but due to it crashing and my friends getting tickets from there i went for them know to always stick with the ones I know are legit

[Cyland101]

Looks like you wern't the only one stung buy this lot. Made the BBC news page:

BBC

[PJTX100]

It really is disgusting how many people were conned by this.

Yet they seemingly just shut up shop, change their name, then do it again with impunity.

[SimonH]

Originally Posted by PJTX100

It really is disgusting how many people were conned by this.

Yet they seemingly just shut up shop, change their name, then do it again with impunity.

I remember seeing a company like this on WatchDog many years ago, exact same principle, they even got caught, they went into liquadation and WatchDog found the exact same guy within 2 weeks had started a new firm under his wifes name and was stealing money from Football fans.

Time to crack down hard on scum like this, 10 years in jail should do nicely, let that one hit the news and see how many more are prepared to commit the same crime.

[Bill Hicks]

These scumbags are the worst of the worst!
I'd like to get them in a room alone with a few of my mates!
Oh payback is a bitch!!

[PoochJD]

Hi,

I agree that there the concert ticket promoters, official venues and the acts (musicians, artists, theatre stars, et al) should all get involved in some way to STOP scumbag companies like these from being allowed to advertise that they have tickets without some kind of proper evidence, e.g. a link showing what number of tickets have been bought, for what seats and which venues, and to which customers can verify with said venue, that X company actually does have these tickets for sale.

But, unfortunately, Tessa Jowell and her cronies in the government, won't bother setting-up any legislation to aid people who do get screwed-over by these con-artists, because its so insignificant an issue as far as they are concerned.

Ultimately, the only thing you can do, is to NEVER buy from any place (online or high street company) that isn't an official organisation directly linked to the act/venue itself.


Pooch

[Mr Incredible]

Story appeared in the Times today.

[Steven]

I agree with many of the thoughts echoed, but...

Originally Posted by PoochJD

Ultimately, the only thing you can do, is to NEVER buy from any place (online or high street company) that isn't an official organisation directly linked to the act/venue itself.

My immediate thought was that if they was not an official partner then caveat emptor. Reading the story I questioned why people actually believed a set of instructions that they are to meet a mystery man in a car park. Of course monies had already been paid at that point...

And the OP is very lucky that his bank was so understanding given that he used a debit card

[Mat-Pecker]

Originally Posted by Bill Hicks

These scumbags are the worst of the worst!
I'd like to get them in a room alone with a few of my mates!
Oh payback is a bitch!!

I like your idea!!!

Originally Posted by Mat-Pecker

Well today I have learnt a costly lesson, when it comes to buying festival tickets on-line.

I bought weekend camping tickets for one of the biggest festivals in the UK, Reading Festival

I have been counting down the days since successfully booking my ticket in late March.

Now in the last few days, my ticket should have floated through the letter box and onto my door mat, making me the happiest man on this Earth.

However, this is not the case. I have been the victim of a simple but effective fraud which has been successfully done to over 10,000 unsuspecting victims in the UK.

I paid £220 for the 3 day event which includes camping. I purchased off of this site, as the site I was trying to use kept crashing, due to the high volume trying to buy tickets. This event always sells out in the first day.

So in my worried state thinking I wouldn't get my ticket and wouldn't be able to go to this awesome event with all my mates. I used the site that my friends all used "SOS MasterTicket".

BIG MISTAKE!

They were just fraudsters

I only called them last week to ask when the tickets should be arriving, as they only get delivered 2-14 days before the events to stop touts. Oh the irony.

They assured me in the next few days.

Yet here I am now, but days away from the event, ticketless and angry.

The site has been taken down the number no longer works that I used last week and I am high and dry

"Luckily" my bank is refunding me even though I used a debit card.

I just want to put it out there how bigger @!&^%^s these people are and to warn anybody else off buying from them

I brought (thought I brought) 2 tickets for Tina Turner so I am greatly disappointed - can you let me know which bank you are with as I had no joy with mine - they said they needed to contact the people - as they are shut down I don't know how to go about it!

[Phil57]

Hlovell, Mat-Pecker.

Not wanting to preach, but........
A Visa debit card has better protection in cases such as this, have a read of this link: BBC NEWS | Programmes | Working Lunch | Debit card refunds: your rights (updated)

That said you should, for the best protection use a Credit Card.