NSW Fair Trading investigates rising number of complaints against Viagogo

NSW Fair Trading has commenced investigating ticket resale platform - Viagogo - as consumer complaints against the company spike in line with the reintroduction of ticketed events.

NSW Fair Trading revealed it had received 36 complaints against Viagogo from the public in 2021 so far, correlating with the return of mass ticketed events. 16 of the complaints relate to ticket scalping, while 11 relate to the cancellation of events that were not refunded by the platform, five relate to misleading customers that they are the authorised seller, three for tickets not being delivered in a timely manner and one for not providing age restriction advice.

In 2021 the most common complaints related to tickets for the musical Hamilton exceeding the 110% cap.

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rose Webb was critical of ticket scalpers especially Viagogo as she highlighted the impacts of flouting ticket resale rules on the struggling arts and entertainment sector.

Webb noted “It was big news in 2018 when NSW Fair Trading made ticket scalping illegal by making it an offence for ticket resellers such as Viagogo to charge more than 10% extra on the original ticket price and transactions costs.

“We did briefly see a drop off in complaints but then we saw a spike at the end of 2019. When the pandemic hit complaints obviously dropped off again as events were not able to go ahead.

“However now that events are back on the agenda, we have seen a spike again and despite Viagogo being explicitly warned and receiving a $7 million fine from the ACCC in 2020, they continue to flout the rules.

“Those within the entertainment and arts industry have been vocal about the obliteration of their industry due to COVID and they do not need the additional stress of ticket resellers scalping well-meaning fans.

“We will be investigating and using our powers to stop any unlawful behaviour.”

Webb urged anyone who had witnessed or experienced ticket scalping to report the incident at the Fair Trading website: Make a complaint | NSW Fair Trading

For more information about consumer rights and ticket reselling go to Tickets, parties and events | NSW Fair Trading