NEWARK
- The Office of the Attorney General through
its Division of Consumer Affairs today filed
suit against two New Jersey-based ticket sellers
who advertised and sold tickets to upcoming
Bruce Springsteen concerts to undercover investigators
before the tickets initially go on sale this
Monday.
With today’s action,
a total of five ticket sellers have been charged
with violating New Jersey’s Consumer
Fraud Act and Advertising Regulations regarding
the upcoming Springsteen shows at Giants Stadium.
All five sellers advertised and sold tickets
to Springsteen’s fall concerts at Giants
Stadium prior to the June 1 initial sales
date for tickets. Ticketmaster will conduct
the initial sale of tickets.
“Selling something that
you don’t have and ultimately might
not be able to provide to the purchaser is
fraud,” Attorney General Milgram said.
“Our investigation into the ticket sales
industry, and how these sellers can advertise
and sell tickets before the tickets actually
go on sale to the public, is widening.”
Almost Backstage Inc., of
Vauxhall, N.J., which does business as abtickets.com
and Ticket Town, Inc., of Fort Lee, which
does business as northeasttickets.com, were
named as defendants in today’s Complaints.
Almost Backstage allegedly
offered at least 44 tickets for each of the
three Springsteen concerts in excess of face
value. The prices offered ranged from $317.50
to $574 per ticket. An undercover investigator
from the Division yesterday purchased two
tickets for $317.50 each.
Ticket
Town offered at least 44 tickets for each
Springsteen show for $330 to $575 per ticket.
An undercover investigator yesterday purchased
two tickets for $320 per ticket.
In both cases, the investigator purchased
tickets for specific seating locations identified
by row and seat number.
“These firms cannot
offer to sell specific seats that haven’t
gone on sale and will not actually be available
for purchase until June 1. We will continue
to dig deeper into the working of ticket sales
industry and stop fraudulent activity,”
said David Szuchman, Consumer Affairs Director.
The state is seeking restitution
for affected consumers, assessment of civil
penalties and compliance with applicable state
laws and regulations by the defendants. The
state also is seeking the suspension or revocation
of the ticket broker license held by Almost
Backstage.
The concerts at Giants Stadium
are scheduled for September 30 and October
2 and 3.
The state on Wednesday filed
Complaints against three tickets sellers --
Select-A-Ticket, Inc., Orbitz Worldwide, Inc.,
and TicketNetwork, Inc. - for advertising
and selling tickets to the September and October
Springsteen shows before the June 1 initial
sales date.
Consumers
may file complaints with the Division online
at www.nj.gov/oag/ca/ocp/ocpform.htm
or by calling 1-800-242-5846
(toll free within N.J.) or 973-504-6200.
Deputy Attorney General David
M. Puteska is representing the state in these
matters. The Complaints were filed in State
Superior Court in Essex County.
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