Fighting Ticket Scams and Scalping in the Digital Era

The upcoming concert by South Korean supergroup BTS in Malaysia, scheduled for December, has ignited excitement among local fans. This tour, in promotion of their latest album, marks the group's return to Malaysia after their last visit in 2015. However, the immense demand for tickets has created a challenging environment, extending beyond competition among fans to include widespread ticket scalping and fraudulent activities.

During the three-day ticket sales period, observations on social media revealed that ticket scammers offered paid purchasing services. These services ranged from RM50 to over RM200, with some stipulating that half the fee would be returned if the purchase failed, while others offered no refund at all. The scam culminates when these individuals vanish after receiving payment.

Ticket scalpers are also rampant, reselling tickets at exorbitant, often unreasonable, prices. The article argues that it is time for more serious measures to be implemented to prevent fans from suffering losses in terms of money, time, and physical and mental energy. Potential solutions include requiring member codes during pre-sales to be entered early in the waiting room, not after queuing, to ensure only genuine members proceed. The implementation of identity-based ticketing systems, stricter purchase limits, and anti-bot technology are also proposed to minimize manipulation by irresponsible parties and reduce online congestion.

The article concludes that until these issues are seriously addressed by organizers, platform providers, and authorities, fans will continue to bear the brunt of these exploitative practices. The piece is authored by Dr. Siti Aishah Mohammad Razi from the Department of Communication at Universiti Putra Malaysia.