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Refunds For Fraudulent Ed Sheeran Tickets
Owen Sweeney / Invision / AP – Ed Sheeran
Mann Center For Performing Arts, Philadelphia, Pa.
More than 1 million tickets for Sheeran’s stadium tour of England, Scotland and Wales have been sold since they were released on July 8. Sheeran’s promoters worked together to prevent and protect fans from buying tickets from secondary sites that aim to profit from bulk-buying and reselling tickets at an inflated price.
Most people followed the promoters’ advice to buy from official outlets. In addition, promoters had warned secondary sites that any tickets being traded and resold for profit would instantly be canceled.
“This has resulted in 90 percent of tickets being delivered directly into fans’ hands at the face value,” a statement from Sheeran’s camp reads. “Despite these efforts however, it has become clear that one such company, Viagogo, have ignored the promoters’ requests and there is an increasing number of customers who are realizing they have been duped by Viagogo’s false advertising and have unfortunately become victims of massive hidden overcharging for tickets.”
The promoters have been monitoring sales transactions in conjunction with England’s National Trading Standards Cyber Crime team and have identified multiple purchases, which are in contravention of the official terms and conditions.
This resulted in up to 10,000 tickets being canceled and returned to the market for purchase at face value. This process will continue until the tour starts in May/June 2018. Fans are urged to buy from official outlets.
Customers who fear they’ve been defrauded can consult the FanFair Alliance website to find “a step by step guide on how to seek a refund.”
The guide consists of advice written in partnership with Claire Turnham, campaigner & founder of the Facebook group “Victim of Viagogo.”
The guide is intended “not only for Ed Sheeran fans who have been mis-sold tickets on Viagogo, but for all those seeking redress from any of the dominant secondary ticketing companies.”