Scottish Rite Auditorium Box Office

Victim Location 19446

Total money lost $655.30

Type of a scam Online Purchase

On 12/27/18, I was online to buy tickets to a couple of jazz artists in 2019. I initially googled their individual names (Boney James and Gregory Porter) and found that both were going to be in concert in early 2019 near me – NJ and NYC. The venue was also listed for both shows and dates. I then typed into the search bar the individual name of the venue – The Beacon Theatre in NYC (Gregory Porter show) and The Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood, NJ. I thought I was a fairly internet savvy, alas, after loosing $655, in ridiculously and exorbitantly priced tickets with another individuals name printed on them(I discovered this on Dec 28 at approximately 8am EST after printing the tixs from the email I was sent) I AM NOT. I’ve NEVER had this happen to me. Again, I legitimately believed that I was at the venue’s website and all outward website appearances led to me believe this. I clicked on the purchase ticket button in each instance and began to search for good seats near the front/center sections. I thought I was viewing/seeing the legitimate concert/show list price NOT a reseller priced seat with an exorbitant usury charge. I used my credit card to make the purchases and entered my name/email/phone/address contact details. The transactions went through and I was told I would be receiving an email to print the tixs and that MOBILE DEVICE TICKETS were not available/an option. Paper printed only. I printed the tixs on the early morning of Dec 28 and to my chagrin and horror, the Boney James tickets had someone elses’s name printed: MICHAEL SODERBERG. I have NO IDEA WHO THIS IS. Well, I was alarmed. I initially called my Visa CC Company because I believed I was scammed and wanted to quickly STOP/CANCEL the transactions. My CC(BofA) folks told me that they could not cancel them because they were still in a "pending" status(not yet 24hrs and not yet posted. The rep (Wendy) suggested I contact the vendor to cancel and then call back IF they refused. I located the customer service number and called. I asked the Rep where I had called/name of company, etc. He indicated TicketNetwork. I explained the situation and told him that my satisfactory resolution was to cancel the transactions. I told him that I was online and truly believed that I was buying tickets at the VENUE WEBSITE not a 3rd party, as the seating chart/sections/rows and prices were listed and interactive. The Rep kept hiding behind the pat statement of: " we have policies and procedures" and no cancellations are allowed. I then told him that their website was misleading and that I did not see anywhere that I was agreeing to have tixs issued in someone’s name, after I entered all of my name/contact details and PAID for them, not" Joe Smith" or in this instance , Michael Soderberg. I asked to have the tixs re-issued in my name OR I wanted them cancelled. He said no. I then asked to speak to a supervisor. I was on hold for a long time and during that time, I googled "how to report a ticket website scam" and received a number of hits – one being a recent article (2014) indicating TicketNetwork and 2 others, SBO and Ryadd. Unfortunately for me, 1 day too late, but AGAIN, I had no idea I was at "their" website and not the official Box Office Site. After the supervisor, Charlie came on the line. I let him know that for me an acceptable resolution was to have my transactions cancelled/refunded. I explained that I believed that I was at the Venue Box Office site, not theirs and that I would never had agreed to purchase tixs with someone else’s name imprinted on them. He just repeated that they have a "no cancellation" policy and that I would not have any problems going to the event with the tickets being in someone elses’s name. He refused to assist. I then mentioned that it was bad business practices, that I was very upset and disappointed with is and the other Reps response and inability to help and make this right. I then told him that the website was misleading and bordering on fraud and that I surely was not the first person to call them with the same or similar complaints and/or issues. I then indicated that I knew I was not the first person because their company had been investigated and fined by the FTC in 2014 for these IDENTICAL practices. I told him that I just wanted to cancel the transaction. He stuck to the script – no cancellations, no refunds, I’ve got the tixs and that having someone elses’ name on them would NOT be a problem. I asked if he could guarantee that at these 2 specific venues (NJ and NYC) I would have no problem. He paused, then said, I would not have a problem. I then asked for HELP line number for the day of the event, should I be refused entry OR a problem with the seat assignments. He gave me a number of 844-753-8364??? I asked if it was a 24hr number since both events are in the evening after normal business hours. He merely said: "yes, someone can help you at this number". I asked to speak with his supervisor or someone with the authority to cancel the transaction. He said they would tell me the same thing. I then stated that I was baffled and surprised that they were not willing to help me and it was poor way to treat consumers. I then said that I would be elevating this and would report them to anyone I could because this was not right – NJ and NY Attorney generals, my senators and congressperson. Is there ANY RECOURSE? I am so disgusted, I do not even want to attend the concerts. I just want my money back and to shed some light on this heinous organizations and others like them that create these pseudo-websites that in appearance mimminck legitimate websites. I’d hate to see someone else get taken and scammed like I have been. I’ll gladly make myself available to speak with someone from your organization and I TRULY HOPE that the ScamPulse.com can place a spotlight on this company and their unscrupulous and MISLEADING practices. Thank you.

Respectfully submitted on Dec 28, 2018