Why did StubHub sell this fan's Sabrina Carpenter tickets?

Recognized by Forbes As one of the leading ticket resale companies, StubHub is considered an online contact point for purchasing last-minute tickets. But recently they have been caught in an uproar from dissatisfied customers on social media.

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A content creator called out the company for returning her Taylor Swift ticket without her consent. Another woman criticized the brand for not providing her with compensation for a mistake she made while selling tickets.

And now another TikTok user has shared his own negative experience with the platform.

What happens to StubHub?

In a video posted on September 30th that has now reached over 65,000 views, TikTok user @bigyellowbean talks about her recent experience with the resale site.

She became stressed when she discovered that the Sabrina Carpenter tickets she had purchased on StubHub were not available digitally in advance of the concert.

After confirming that her tickets were still in good condition by communicating with the company, she arrived at Madison Square Garden dressed and ready for the show.

@bigyellowbean found out the hard way right before the concert started that her tickets were invalid and that the venue couldn't give her tickets because the show was sold out.

“I have never experienced such scams and unhelpful customer service,” she wrote in the post’s caption.

When tickets first went online, the TikToker explains that she secured a ticket to the Madison Square Garden show through StubHub. She says she paid $200 for a ticket at the time, but tickets have since increased to nearly $1,000.

While StubHub refunded her the original cost, @bigyellowbean was unable to purchase new, valid tickets at this higher price.

A commenter who claims to have previously worked at Madison Square Garden gave her two cents for the situation.

“This venue only uses Ticketmaster. If it doesn’t get transferred to your TM account, you won’t get in,” she advises. “No tickets are printed here either.”

The MSG website only contains instructions for event goers to use the Ticketmaster app to gain entry to the venue.

@bigyellowbean Actually for you @StubHub. I have never experienced such fraud and unhelpful customer service. #stubhubscam #sabrinacarpenter ♬ Original sound – BigYellowBean

How does StubHub deal with ticket fraudsters?

When it comes to resale fraud in general, a 2023 Aura report revealed that approximately 12% of ticket buyers, or nearly 11 million Americans, are scammed on these online ticket sites annually.

StubHub has a legal page on its official website where the company disclaims full responsibility for fraudulent tickets that consumers may purchase on its website.

“We have no control over and do not guarantee the existence, quality, safety or legality of the tickets,” the statement said.

However, the brand also has a satisfaction policy with every purchase, called the FanProtect Guarantee.

According to the description of the guarantee, in such situations the Company will, where possible, provide either a full refund or replacement tickets for the same event.

In @bigyellowbean's case, although she received a refund for her tickets, the last-minute tickets to the concert cost more than three times the original price she paid, leaving her financially sound but still deprived of the concert experience had.

StubHub lists only one consequence for sellers caught cheating on the site: the imposition of a temporary or permanent ban if an investigation concludes that a seller is violating its rules for issuing valid tickets.

At the time of publication, no class action lawsuit has been filed against StubHub.

The Daily Dot reached out to StubHub via email and @bigyellowbean via TikTok DM and comment.

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