Have you ever hesitated when buying tickets from a secondary marketplace like StubHub? The worry about ending up with fake or invalid tickets can put a damper on the excitement.
So how exactly does StubHub, one of the largest ticket resale sites worldwide, verify that every ticket for sale on their platform is legit?
Through strategic partnerships, advanced technology, manual reviews, and buyer protections, StubHub authenticates all tickets, giving customers complete peace of mind with every purchase.
This article will walk through StubHub’s extensive verification process and procedures in place to ensure you receive valid event tickets every time. You’ll also learn:
- How StubHub prevents fake or duplicate tickets from being sold
- What to do if you encounter issues with invalid tickets
- Steps you can take to avoid potential ticket scams
- Who to contact for support if problems come up
So you can shop for tickets on StubHub with full confidence knowing your seats will be awaiting when you arrive at the venue.
Partnering With Reputable Sources For Legitimate Ticket Inventory
StubHub gets its ticket inventory from various sources – season ticket holders, ticket brokers, vendors, teams/venues, and everyday fans. But not just any seller can list a ticket for sale on StubHub.
The site works exclusively with trusted, vetted partners to ensure all tickets originate from legitimate sources. This includes:
- 130+ sports teams and entertainment venues – Direct partnerships give StubHub access to verified ticket allotments.
- Reputable ticket brokers – These large sellers are thoroughly vetted for reliability.
- Ticketmaster integration – Some tickets are sourced directly from Ticketmaster’s inventory.
Vetting sellers helps guarantee that tickets aren’t counterfeits from unofficial channels. StubHub also confirms ownership by requiring documentation of purchases or season tickets when sellers list seats for upcoming events.
This first line of defense filters out frauds early before tickets make their way onto the marketplace.
Scrutinizing Listings With Detailed Manual Reviews
In addition to vetted inventory sources, every ticket that gets listed on StubHub undergoes manual verification.
An expert team audits each listing checking:
- The specific event details
- Ticket section/row/seat numbers against venue seating charts
- Barcode numbers of e-tickets
Getting listings double-checked provides further fraud protection for buyers. It enables StubHub to catch errors or inaccuracies in ticket posts to uphold accuracy.
The manual process also blocks duplicate postings where sellers attempt to relist the same tickets many times over. This prevents double-selling and ensures each ticket is unique.
Does StubHub Ever Sell Fake Tickets?
With all of these protections, it’s highly unlikely that counterfeit or duplicate tickets will slip through StubHub’s safeguards.
However, internet scammers find ways around systems, so StubHub cannot claim perfection. Periodically, users may get unlucky buying fake tickets that bypass all the verification checkpoints.
When these rare incidents occur, StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee covers buyers for replacement tickets or full refunds.
So while no secondary ticket marketplace can achieve 100% fraud prevention, StubHub gets extremely close through comprehensive efforts. Any remaining cracks their buyer guarantees patch up.
Using Advanced Technology Like Barcodes and Holograms
In addition to expert reviews, StubHub also relies on cutting-edge technology to authenticate tickets. Methods include:
Barcode Scanning
Barcodes contain encrypted data on event, seat location, seller, price and more. When tickets are scanned at the venue, the information gets cross-checked against StubHub’s databases for verification.
Invalid or duplicate barcodes immediately get flagged. StubHub can then track down sources to pinpoint fraud.
QR Code Verification
Similarly, QR codes on e-tickets provide an extra layer of authentication. The unique codes confirm ticket details which gate attendants can quickly scan and verify on tablets or mobile devices.
Again, this allows fraudulent or duplicate tickets to get denied right at event entry points.
Holograms and Watermarks
For high-value tickets to premier events, StubHub recommends sellers use holograms or watermarks which are nearly impossible replicate.
The distinctive optical elements make it very apparent whether tickets are counterfeits or authentic when buyers redeem them in-person.
RFID Chips
Increasingly, event tickets also contain RFID chips with unique identifications to prevent duplication. The tiny embedded components communicate wirelessly and transmit ticket data to scanners.
Utilizing multiple technologies allows StubHub to authenticate from all angles – visually, digitally, electronically. Together they catch every last fake ticket which keeps them earning buyer trust.
Seamless Ticket Transfers Directly To Buyers’ Accounts
To ensure purchased tickets safely get into the right hands, StubHub securely transfers all sales directly to buyer accounts.
After you buy tickets, you’ll receive them right on StubHub paired with a specific barcode for your purchase. That ties the tickets solely to your account.
StubHub also works with ticket issuers like Ticketmaster and AXS to directly transfer ticket holdership over through official channels.
The direct transfers give you reassurance that no one else can claim ownership of those tickets you rightfully bought. It also guarantees tickets work flawlessly at venue entrances relying on seller honesty alone.
What Does The FanProtect Guarantee Cover?
On the slim chance any hiccups come up with tickets due to seller fraud or error, StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee protects purchasers in all scenarios.
The Guarantee has several components:
Valid Event Entry
Firstly, StubHub guarantees tickets will successfully permit entry into the specific event you bought seats for. If an attendee gets denied at the gate due to invalid tickets, FanProtect kicks in to make it right.
This ensures you always have working passes in-hand to enjoy events, avoiding letdowns from fake tickets slipping through.
On-Time Delivery
Additionally, StubHub promises tickets get delivered on schedule before events take place. You’ll receive your ticket at least 2 hours before showtime as long as purchases happen prior to any same-day deadlines.
For last-minute buys, StubHub will clearly disclose expected delivery times to still enable purchases. But again, even if sellers drop the ball, StubHub has your back.
Refunds, Credits, Replacements
In either invalid ticket or late delivery cases where you miss an event, StubHub grants full refunds for all monies paid. For more serious troubles, you may receive 120% credit of your full purchase amount for a future event.
If showtimes allow, their support staff can also secure last-minute replacements from separate sellers so you still attend events as planned.
Through FanProtect, you avoid financial losses plus disappointment from sellers negligent actions or devious scams slipping through. Instead StubHub makes things square for fans.
What If My Tickets Don’t Scan or I Can’t Get In?
If you run into trouble at entrance gates with denied tickets, immediately reach out to venue staff and StubHub support.
Follow these key troubleshooting steps:
- Scan tickets – First, double check barcode/QR codes get successfully scanned rather than producing errors. Sometimes manual entry works when scanners act finicky.
- Review account – Log into StubHub and ensure correct tickets show in your purchase history with matching details. Crossed signals happen rarely.
- Contact StubHub – If problems persist, call StubHub support who can contact gate managers to sort out entry issues.
- Consult box office – As a backup, head to box office windows and ask staff to cross-reference your ticket purchase through StubHub systems.
Between venue workers and StubHub’s FanProtect team, you’ll get situation remedied allowing you to take your seat. Replacement tickets or refunds come once the show wraps.
Can I Resell Tickets I Buy From StubHub?
Absolutely – one benefit of StubHub’s verified process is that tickets purchasers receive maintain full resell rights.
Unlike some artist presales with name requirements making tickets non-transferrable, StubHub’s tickets place no restrictions.
If plans change where you can no longer attend an event once owning tickets, simply list them back onto StubHub’s marketplace. As an established user, you bypass seller verification steps allowing seamless resale.
You can expect a high on-time sell-through rate as well thanks to StubHub’s enormous buyer traffic. Just be sure to price tickets fairly based on current market rates.
And never feel locked-in or stuck with unneeded tickets. StubHub empowers easy exchanges through secure account ownership transfers.
How To Spot Potential Scams or Fraudulent Listings?
Despite StubHub’s secure marketplace, you should still keep your guard up identifying sketchy ticket sales or prices that feel “too good to be true”.
Look for these common warning signs of potential scams:
- Misspelled venue or artist names
- Blurry images that hide ticket details
- Sections/rows don’t match venue maps
- Super discounted prices well below average
- New sellers with no review history
- Requests to pay outside StubHub
Appearances of fakes might seem obvious but scammers bank on pulling heartstring cons promising your kid’s dream seating for a steal.
When scrutinizing listings, trust your gut. If something feels the slightest bit off, keep hunting for ticket deals or buy directly from box offices as a guaranteed safe bet.
And remember – charging you inflated prices for authentic tickets doesn’t classify as a scam under StubHub policies. But the site tries keeping costs reasonable based on normal demand fluctuations.
Getting Assistance From StubHub’s Customer Support
If unsure about ticket authenticity when browsing listings or if you encounter entry issues at events with purchased tickets, StubHub’s fan services team readily assists.
Reach their support squad through:
- Online contact form – Log into your account and submit questions including order details that specialists will investigate
- By phone at 1-866-788-2482
- On Twitter – Message @TeamStubHub for a quick public response
Specialists can examine all ticket specifics in systems and work with you addressing concerns. Plus they’ll activate FanProtect Guarantee procedures like refunds or replacements where applicable.
Don’t hesitate getting StubHub support involved sorting out ticket troubles – that’s exactly what they standby for!
Conclusion: Buy StubHub Tickets With Complete Peace of Mind
Ultimately StubHub pulls out all the stops so fans purchase event tickets with total confidence in legitimacy and security.
They achieved an impressive 99.995% fraud-free rate in recent years through extensive partnerships, manual reviews, science-fiction tech, buyer guarantees, and dedicated customer service.
So you can score seats to your favorite sports teams, artists, theater shows knowing real tickets will await your arrival come event day. Because if anything falls through, StubHub has your back immediately making it right through FanProtect.
Next time tickets sell out at box office websites, don’t hesitate to find them on StubHub!
