Against the Law to ‘Game the System’ to Obtain Bruno Mars Tickets

The rush to purchase Bruno Mars tickets for his second concert at Aloha Stadium has prompted the State of Hawai‘i Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) to provide the following statement regarding purchasing tickets:

“Time and time again consumers are being left out in the cold when trying to purchase tickets to concerts and sporting events in high demand,” said Stephen Levins, Executive Director of the State of Hawai‘i Office of Consumer Protection. “It’s against the law to use computer software to game the system. If we obtain evidence that bots or other illegal methods were used to obtain or divert Bruno Mars tickets we will prosecute the offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”

The Office is also advising consumers to follow a few basic rules when purchasing tickets to entertainment and sporting events:

• Sales prior to the official sale date. Beware of third-party websites that are advertising tickets for sale before the official sale date. Tickets advertised prior to the official sale date should be avoided since the resellers are offering tickets for sale that they may not have any right to obtain. Bruno Mars’ second Hawai‘i concert on November 11, officially goes on sale this Saturday, June 16, at 10 a.m. online from Ticketmaster and in person at the Aloha Stadium box office.
• Third-Party resellers. Tickets for Bruno Mars’ first show on November 10, sold out on June 9, but tickets are still available from Ticketmaster as “verified resale tickets” and on third-party reseller websites. When shopping for tickets on the resale market, check out the well-known ticket sellers first. While prices of tickets purchased from familiar resellers may be higher than offerings from classified ad websites and online auctions, the tickets are generally considered to be authentic and guaranteed.
• Know your seller. If you are unfamiliar with a ticket reseller, you can call the Office of Consumer Protection at (808) 587-4272 and ask if there are any complaints on file regarding the seller. The absence of a filed complaint does not guarantee a seller’s legitimacy but simply means that the office has not received any complaints. The Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) is another resource available to look into a ticket seller.
• Use a credit card. Always purchase tickets with a credit card because credit cards provide you with protections that would not otherwise be available to you if you use cash, debit card, or check.  Protections include the ability to dispute a charge if an event is cancelled, or if the tickets are counterfeit and not honored by the venue. Also, you should never wire money to anyone you have never met.
• Shop securely. Make sure the website begins with “https” because the “s” indicates the website has taken precautions to ensure others cannot see or copy the personal information you provide. Another indicator the website is secure is the appearance of a closed lock symbol at the bottom of the screen.
• Check your tickets. If you buy your tickets from a source other than the official website or box office, check the information on the tickets to ensure the date, time, and location meet your expectations. If possible, compare your tickets to a genuine ticket and look for misspellings, missing holograms, and irregular bar codes. You can also ask the seller for a proof of purchase.