Any way to verify (Hamilton) tix bought from StubHub?

[Hack n Tuck Inc.]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:39pm

Yesterday I broke down and went on StubHub to buy four tickets to the Sunday June 5 performance of Hamilton.  I've received and reviewed the electronic tickets (sent as a PDF) and am wondering about a couple things I'm seeing on them.

 

1.  On the left side of the ticket in the gray area the date 19FEB16 appears.  I'm assuming that means the purchase date?  And if so that has me nervous because I know things have been pretty well sold out.  EXCEPT I believe I recall there was a quiet release of a block of tickets in February for some June performances.  Does anyone know if June 5 was in that group?  If so, I'll stop stressing about this date.

 

2.  Each ticket says that it "INCL A  2 FACILITY FEE," i.e. there's no $ sign.  A potential typo -- can anyone tell me if their print-at-home ticketmaster tix do or do not have a $ sign in this line?

 

3.  In the fine print at the bottom left, there is an obvious typo as it says something about "noncompliance with ter" where it obviously means "terms."  Does this mistake appear on anybody's legitimate tickets?

 

Thanks!

[10086sunset]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:47pm

At the end of the day, Stubhub is the most legitimate of secondary market sellers, besides buying them directly off the ticket master resale site. 

I wouldn't worry about the validity of the tickets. Your purchase is covered by the guarantee. 

[10086sunset]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:51pm

As for the ticket release, I believe that block went on sale last September.  There may have very well been a quiet release like you mentioned. Some of the Hamilton fans here would be better suited to answer this. 

You could always cal ticketmaster and ask them directly.


 

Updated On: 4/4/16 at 10:51 PM

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:55pm

The mistakes you mention (no dollar sign and misspelling of term) do not appear on my print at home ticket.

There were definitely some June tickets released earlier this year.

I'd ring Ticketmaster to check. It would be unwise for someone to sell fake tickets on StubHub because they charge people who have sold for new tickets if they fail to deliver on their promise.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 11:00pm

I saw Hamilton twice last summer with stubhub tickets. I had a similar experience as you. When I looked at the ticket pdf, there were suspicious things missing (dollar signs, facility fee, etc) and it looked like a counterfeit ticket basically. I called stubhub several times and I could never get someone on the phone who understood what I was asking about. 

I got to the theater as early as I could just in case there were any problems. Both times I got in and saw the show with no problems.  

[Anakela]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 11:03pm

For the record, the StubHub "guarantee" means that if you get to the theatre and your tickets are fake that they will try and replace them with other tickets for that night. But, since this is Hamilton and all, there are numerous stories about people arriving to the theatre with fake SH tickets, SH being unable to replace their tickets for that night, having to just refund their money instead, and so those people do get their money back but they do not get to see the show.

I can't answer your first question about the date, but looking at my bought directly online from TM tickets:

2 - the $2 facility fee does include a dollar sign: INCL A $2 FACILITY FEE

3 - the fine print does not have that typo. The entire line of text: "without refund for noncompliance with terms. Unlawful sale or attempted sale prohibited"

[laugard]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 11:58pm

I have two pairs of tickets for the June 5 performance, both purchased on Feb 2 when some tickets for June 5 and 12 were unexpectedly (and as not part of an announced release) available on Ticketmaster. However, when I just went to view both sets of tickets, the date showing on the far left is 3APR16, which is today. So that does not represent the purchase date, and would seem to be the most recent download date.

Regarding your other questions, my tickets do show a $ sign next to the 2 in facility fee. And there is no typo in the fine print. Terms is correctly spelled, as is everything in that section.

(Unrelated, but I discovered that those June 5 and 12 seats released in February were not made eligible for Ticketmaster Resale, which I thought was interesting. A holder can still sell them, of course, but not on TM.)

 

 

Updated On: 4/4/16 at 11:58 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 7:31am

Similar to what others said, I wouldn't worry about it too much given the StubHub guarantee. I've used stubhub for broadway performances in the past and never had an issue.

*However* I would get to the theater 30-40 mins before the show starts so you'd be one of the first people to get your tickets scanned. I've heard stories where the original buyer would sell the same tix on stubhub and other reseller sites and pretty much whoever gets to the theater first gets to sit on those seats. 

[Tandrews]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 9:45am

StubHub is probably the most legit of all ticket re-sellers out there. I have never had an issue with getting into a show with tickets purchased through them. An occasional mishap can happen, but StubHub is usually a step-ahead of most nefarious characters. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 10:17am

Maybe you've all been lucky, but there have been MANY reports of StubHub tickets being fraudelent.  The OP has every right to be concerned.

 

I don't know if Telecharge can do anything to help verify, or perhaps, the box office -- which only helps if you are in the city.

[saisai]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 10:18am

I had an experience with Lady Gaga tickets I bought on SH years ago.  The price was too good to be true and I even called SH to ask whether this was a reliable seller.  They gave no assurances other than they would guarantee the tickets.  When I received them, there were very blatant errors on the ticket (the wrong ticketmaster fee for the price point, the seat # did not exist for that section, etc.)  I contacted SH and they asked me to send them the tickets.  They verified that they were fake and gave me comparable tickets.  I was able to do this well in advance of the concert date.  I suggest you to try and do the same.  SH usually does not authenticate tickets that are being sold, the are really a listing service that provide guarantees.

[Hack n Tuck Inc.]

Posted: 4/8/16 at 12:08pm

Many thanks to all for the responses.  I am going to try calling the box office, then TM, then StubHub to see if anyone can do anything to confirm the validity of the tickets (or at least confirm that they are not totally fake, even if they may be duplicates). 

 

I went with StubHub only because there are NO resale tickets on this date via TM (which seems odd in itself) and for a variety of reasons this was by far the best date for us.  I wouldn't have done it though without StubHub's guarantee.  So I know I can ultimately get my money back if they're fake; I'm just worried about the crushing disappointment for my kids if we get to the door of the theater and are turned away (or even worse -- if we are in the seats but then are made to leave).

 

Phantom4ever -- your experience eases my mind somewhat, thanks!

 

laugard -- that's interesting about those June 5 and June 12 seats being ineligible for resale.  Maybe that's why there are no TM resale tickets for June 5.  But still odd though.  Also, thank you for your answer about the date on the left hand side!  So now I'm thinking that whoever bought my tickets from TM uploaded them to StubHub on Feb. 19, thus "freezing" that date in the PDF.

 

Wick3 -- thanks, I am definitely planning to get to the theater super early so that if we do run into a duplicate issue we would at least have the first-come equities in our favor.

 

[slumdogdelaware]

Posted: 4/8/16 at 12:23pm

I saw the show in January with a ticket from StubHub, and I swear I was sweating until the curtains went up. The ticket looked totally legit, but there were a few things that were whited out or missing that had me a bit concerned. I was totally fine, of course, and looking back I feel ridiculous over how worried I was. I have complete faith that your tickets will be valid, but if not, feel free to come back here and berate me.

[rikem]

Posted: 4/8/16 at 12:49pm

Wick3 -- thanks, I am definitely planning to get to the theater super early so that if we do run into a duplicate issue we would at least have the first-come equities in our favor.
 

Sorry ---  it doesn't work that way.  You can get there 2 weeks early -- but if you have a fake and the person with the "real" ticket shows up at 8:05pm then it's their seat.

 

"

 

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 4/8/16 at 1:11pm

^^If the tickets are duplicates, they aren't necessarily fake. It could just mean that more than one person had the same electronic ticket for the same performance. And if it turned out that none of the ticket holders' names matched the buyer's name on the ticket, I think it's fair to say the first person there would be the one seeing the show.

[Hack n Tuck Inc.]

Posted: 4/8/16 at 1:15pm

rikem said: "Wick3 -- thanks, I am definitely planning to get to the theater super early so that if we do run into a duplicate issue we would at least have the first-come equities in our favor.
 

Sorry ---  it doesn't work that way.  You can get there 2 weeks early -- but if you have a fake and the person with the "real" ticket shows up at 8:05pm then it's their seat.

Sure, if my tickets are in fact counterfeit.  But if I have a legitimate bar code that gets me in the door in the first place, the 8:05 arrivals are going to have to prove their tickets are the real ones rather than mine.  If they can do so, fine, but if not, that's where the early arrival factors in -- I can't be forced to give up the seat without a good reason when I'm holding a ticket that scanned successfully.

 

At any rate, I was simply taking Wick3's advice, which makes sense both intuitively and based on the anecdotal evidence mentioned -- not suggesting that I could see a show with a demonstrably fake ticket simply because I got there before the holders of the real tickets.

 

[Allthelargethings]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 9:28am

I just purchased tickets on Stubhub and they have all of the same issues as listed in the original post. Did you manage to get in to see the show or were there any problems?

Thank you!!

[LJD123]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 3:49pm

I was told by Ticketmaster that they will not allow the resale of Premium or Preferred seating any longer for Hamilton. I just returned from NYC and paid a small fortune to be in the Rear Mezz so we could see the OBC. I have tix that I purchased on TM for Thanksgiving weekend the moment they went on sale and now I can't list on TM resale because they have implemented this policy.  Seems ridiculous that some seats are able to be resold via TM and some are not???  Has anyone else had this problem or heard of the same elsewhere? It seems strange, but my TM order does not have the resell button and I have called and spoke to 3 different people there and been told the same by all 3.  For me I guess StubHub may be the only resale option?  Any info appreciated. Thanks!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 4:06pm

They (actually, its the producers) have every right to determine what can and cannot be sold.  Their party, their rules.

 

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 4:16pm

Allthelargethings said: "I just purchased tickets on Stubhub and they have all of the same issues as listed in the original post. Did you manage to get in to see the show or were there any problems?

Thank you!!

 

"

The OP doesn't go until June.

[Hack n Tuck Inc.]

Posted: 5/10/16 at 2:11pm

Yep, as noted, my tickets are for June 5 so I haven't tried to use them yet. I've been keeping an eye on TM and SH resale though and have not yet seen the tickets I bought being offered for sale again at either site, so I'm taking that as a good sign.  :)

Updated On: 5/10/16 at 02:11 PM

[Hellob]

Posted: 5/10/16 at 2:49pm

The ticket should have the original buyer's name. Do some recon, find their fb or whatever, you should be able to get an idea of what's up. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/10/16 at 3:29pm

The original buyer isn't always going to help there, though. If any non-scalper lists Hamilton tickets for cheaper than typical resale value, another scalper will buy them and relist them for more money. So, you are not necessarily buying them from the original buyer. 

If you're concerned, though, I would definitely be at the front of the line when the doors opened. If your ticket was sold more than once, the people who get those bar codes scanned first are the ones getting in...

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 5/10/16 at 3:51pm

haterobics said: "The original buyer isn't always going to help there, though. If any non-scalper lists Hamilton tickets for cheaper than typical resale value, another scalper will buy them and relist them for more money. So, you are not necessarily buying them from the original buyer."

Yes, this happened to me. I sold my ticket at a reasonable price and found it a few weeks later selling for over $1000. Shame.

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/10/16 at 3:57pm

PThespian said: "It has nothing to do with who scans in first. The person with the legit ticket gets in no matter when the person with the fake ticket scans in. 

It also doesn't matter who scans in first if two people with fake tickets show up. Neither one is getting in. 

Bottom line: There's only one legit ticket per seat per show. That doesn't change no matter how often it gets bought and resold. 

If you have it enjoy the show. If not make sure you dress appropriately for the weather outside."

If the issue is fake versus legit, you are correct. But, if I have a legit e-ticket, and I sell that PDF 20 times... and all 20 people are in line, the first scan gets in, and the other 19 people will not. All of those are legit, but only the first scan counts.