Cancelling scalped tickets?

[alex_]

I'm a little confused as to what cancelling the reported scalped tickets will do.

"Scalpers are told the ticket has been voided and are offered a refund since they can’t sell it anymore. Most do. It’s also made clear to them that if they DID sell it, they should arrange to give a refund to the buyer, since they are now responsible for having sold something that is not good for its intended purpose."

In other words the Scalper will receive a refund for the cancelled ticket... and is not obligated to inform the buyer of the ticket of its cancellation.

Scalper buys 390 dollar ticket

Scalper sells 390 dollar ticket for 700 on ebay which comes out to about 624 after ebays fee and paypals fee

Scalper has ticket reported and cancelled

Scalper receives 390 dollar refund

Scalper has just made 1014 dollars in net profit off of 1 ticket.

____________________________________________________________

Unsuspecting happy burner who got shafted in the lottery reaches the gates, cheerily hands over ticket is looked at by the individual checking tickets "Sorry brah you just drove 600 miles and waited in multiple hour traffic but I can't let you through your ticket appears to have been canceled."

[pink]

So burner should really beware if they paid more than face value. Or just don't pay over face value period.

[trilobyte]

As the ticket terms and conditions state, Burning Man reserves the right to cancel the sale of any tickets that it believes were purchased with the intent to sell above face value. And of course, those found to be selling tickets for above face value are added to the list of known scalpers and scammers, which may affect the ability to purchase event tickets in the future.

Scalper only actually gets a refund if they return the physical tickets. Additionally, if they leave their buyer (aka the dumbass who fed the bears) on the hook, then they may be on the hook for federal fraud charges.

Don't pay more than face value plus shipping for tickets.

[uncle sticky]

I've got to say, this is a an awesome Hammer of Thor response. Buy from a scalper? You're hosed. Are a scalper? You're hosed. I see ads on craigslist claiming that a vigilante group will be attempting to set up buys on scalped tickets and then turn in the scalpers. Go burners go!

[alex_]

As the ticket terms and conditions state, Burning Man reserves the right to cancel the sale of any tickets that it believes were purchased with the intent to sell above face value. And of course, those found to be selling tickets for above face value are added to the list of known scalpers and scammers, which may affect the ability to purchase event tickets in the future.

Scalper only actually gets a refund if they return the physical tickets. Additionally, if they leave their buyer (aka the dumbass who fed the bears) on the hook, then they may be on the hook for federal fraud charges.

Don't pay more than face value plus shipping for tickets.

Mhmmmmmm ok, so are the scalpers notified by email then that the tickets they have purchased have been canceled?

[trilobyte]

Yes, absolutely.

[jkisha]

So as scalping is legal in Nevada, how does this square with BMORG's anti scalper policy?

[trilobyte]

Speaking personally, Nevada is a goofy state sometimes. They say that ticket scalping is legal, but they also say that we are within our rights to cancel the sale of any ticket that we believe was purchased with the intent of selling above face value. So that language was added to the terms and conditions of all tickets sold for this year's event, and we are doing just that.

My own personal read on that is that Nevada says they won't arrest a scalper, but they don't feel that the practice is sacred and something they want to actively protect (at least not anymore).

[uncle sticky]

As we all know, the back of the ticket, and the click throughs on the ticket website, are a contract. That contract says b-man can cancel your ticket for a variety of behaviors, many of which are legal but violate the agreement.