New York Attorney General Letitia James has issued a consumer alert urging New Yorkers to be cautious when purchasing tickets for concerts by Puerto Rican musician Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, known as Bad Bunny. The warning follows complaints received by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) from individuals who traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico for Bad Bunny’s concerts, only to be denied entry because their tickets were invalid.
Attorney General James stated, “Bad Bunny is a musical icon in New York, and scammers are taking advantage of his popularity to sell fake concert tickets. People have paid thousands of dollars to travel to Puerto Rico and see Bad Bunny perform, only to be turned away at the door because the tickets they were sold were fake. Too often, scammers take advantage of big events to dupe people out of their hard-earned money, and I am urging New Yorkers to take caution when purchasing their Bad Bunny concert tickets.”
The OAG provided several tips for consumers purchasing secondhand concert tickets:
– Verify whether the venue or performer offers an official source for buying or reselling tickets.
– Use reputable ticket resale platforms that guarantee refunds if issues arise; illegitimate sellers may provide counterfeit or misrepresented tickets.
– Avoid cash, wire transfer, or pre-paid money transfers as payment methods since these are difficult to recover if scams occur. Credit card or PayPal payments offer dispute options in case of fraud.
– Be cautious of unusually low prices or high-pressure sales tactics and ask sellers for proof of purchase.
– Check online ticket brokers’ reputations through sources like the Better Business Bureau before making purchases; some reputable brokers offer additional protections such as refunds or replacement tickets.
– Exercise caution with home-printed tickets since scammers can sell identical barcodes multiple times. Whenever possible, opt for tickets printed directly by the venue.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of a ticket scam is encouraged to contact the Office of the Attorney General at 1-800-771-7755 or file an online complaint.
