Western Australians have been warned by the state government over ticket scalping for a one-off concert by British band Coldplay at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Tickets were available in the pre-sale today (Monday), while the general public will be able to purchase tickets from tomorrow.
Coldplay’s show will take place on November 18 and it is the first time the band have played in Western Australia since 2009.
With the show being a one-off, it is a ripe opportunity for scalpers to take advantage of music fans and tourists.
It is illegal for tickets to events in Western Australia to be sold for more than 10% over the original ticket price, when a resale restriction applies.
Resellers must also include the original ticket cost – inclusive of booking fees – and details of the section, row and seat number in the listing. If resellers abuse these rules, fines can range from A$2,000 (£1,069/€1,230/$1,337) for infringement notices to A$20,000 for individuals or companies – including unauthorised ticket reselling platforms and classified websites publishing prohibited advertisements, should the matter go to court.
Even higher penalties of A$100,000 can apply to those using ‘bots’ to bulk-buy tickets, which is illegal in Western Australia.
Five A$2,000 infringement notices under Western Australia’s ticket scalping laws were issued to scalpers selling inflated tickets to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at Perth’s RAC Arena earlier this year.
The local government has urged the public to only purchase tickets from Ticketmaster, which is the authorised ticket agent for the concert. It also advised to buy from Ticketmaster’s Fan-to-Fan resale page if unable to purchase tickets the first time, rather than turning to unauthorised resellers.
Commerce Minister Sue Ellery said: “If individuals purchase a ticket from an unauthorised source that doesn’t comply with the laws, contact the supplier or individual seller and seek a refund.
“If you suspect you have been scammed, lodge a chargeback request with your bank. The massive mark-ups we have seen in some of these UFC 284 cases is not only illegal but immoral, as they are clearly exploiting WA consumers who are desperate to attend popular events that are sold out.
“Individuals who look at making a quick buck by reselling tickets at high prices are at risk of losing that profit and more after paying an infringement notice, or receiving higher penalties if they face court.”