'A PSA to other fans,' Ticketmaster user loses $600 with a Google search – double check the phone number | 3E8FMQ2 | 2024-04-30 05:08:01
A MOTHER has claimed she was scammed out of $600 after attempting to purchase concert tickets for her son via Ticketmaster.
The Canadian mom said she was left dumbfounded after falling for the sophisticated scheme that the company is now warning customers about.
Traci Mendez, from Whitby, Ontario, recently revealed she had purchased a pair of tickets for a Travis Scott concert as a Christmas present for her son.
The rapper was set to perform at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena on January 6.
However, one day before the concert, Mendez claimed the tickets disappeared from her Ticketmaster app, she told CTV News Toronto.
In an attempt to solve the issue, Mendez told the outlet that she decided to speak with a representative for the company over the phone.
So, she reportedly searched for "Ticketmaster Canada contact phone number," online.
"It's just your natural answer to everything. Who doesn't go to Google?" Mendez said.
Mendez's search provided a phone number at the top of the page, which she then reportedly called.
She told the outlet that the individual on the other end of the call identified himself as James from Ticketmaster.
He allegedly told her that a system-wide glitch caused the tickets to be removed from her app.
He then reportedly claimed that the company would initiate a refund and re-issue the tickets, but they would be unable to provide that refund over the phone.
Instead, the fraudulent agent urged Mendez to purchase $600 worth of Ticketmaster and Apple gift cards.
The individual claimed that the company would then be able to refund the tickets and repurchase them so they would then appear in her account.
He also allegedly told the mother that she would receive a drink voucher and discount on the new tickets she had to purchase.
In order to follow up on the gift card purchases, Mendez was reportedly given a reference number and extension number to call back.
Mendez told CTV News Toronto that she followed the instructions but was still missing the concert tickets the next day.
She claimed that when she attempted to call the extension number again, she only received an automatic message.
The message reportedly claimed that the individual calling had reached Ticketmaster and all lines were busy.
A separate time Mendez called, she was able to reach someone that claimed they would transfer her to James.
However, she was soon disconnected from the call.
With just hours left until the concert, Mendez was ultimately forced to shelling thousands of dollars on a separate pair of tickets for her son.
"I'm an educated individual, so if I call a customer service phone number I googled online and I get a recording for the company, dial an extension, why would I believe I'm getting something other than the person representing the company," Mendez said.
"It leaves me dumbfounded. There's really no other word for it."
CTV News Toronto investigated the number Mendez called and reportedly reached someone called "James from PayPpal."
The fraudulently agent claimed during the call that the number was not connected to Ticketmaster.
PayPal later reportedly confirmed with the outlet that the number is not associated with the company.
Ticketmaster has since refunded Mendez for the original tickets she purchased that had disappeared from her account.
However, the company is urging customers to remain vigilant to avoid failing for similar scams.
"As a PSA to other fans: scammers often run ads on search sites with fake phone numbers to confuse consumers," a spokesperson for Ticketmaster told CTV News Toronto.
"Our real contact info can be found directly within our app or on our website."
Ticketmaster has also said it will never ask a customer to purchase gift cards.
The company did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun's request for comment.
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