CONSUMER ALERT:
Attorney General James Urges New Yorkers to Be Wary of Buying Fake Tickets to Bad Bunny Concerts
Attorney General James Urges New Yorkers Sold Invalid Tickets to Bad Bunny Concert to Contact His Office
NEW YORK –
New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers about counterfeit or invalid concert tickets for Puerto Rican musician Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio “Bad Bunny.” Bad Bunny, the popular Puerto Rican musician with a fan base in New York and around the world, is holding a musical residency in San Juan, until September 14, 2025. The Attorney General’s Office received a complaint from New Yorkers who purchased tickets to the concert and traveled to Puerto Rico, but were denied entry because they were told their tickets were invalid. Attorney General James urges New Yorkers to follow her office’s advice to avoid concert ticket scams and to contact her if they were sold counterfeit or invalid tickets by filing a complaint online. .
“Bad Bunny is a musical icon in New York, and scammers are taking advantage of his popularity to sell fake concert tickets,” said Attorney General James . “People have paid thousands of dollars to travel to Puerto Rico to see Bad Bunny in concert, only to be turned away at the door because the tickets they were sold were counterfeit. Too often, scammers take advantage of large events to scam people out of their hard-earned money, and I urge New Yorkers to be cautious when purchasing Bad Bunny concert tickets.”
The Attorney General’s Office (OAG) suggested the following tips to help New Yorkers avoid concert ticket scams. When purchasing tickets on the secondary market, consumers should:
- Check to see if the venue, artist, or event has an official, verified source for purchasing and reselling tickets.
- If you purchase tickets through the secondary market, do so only through a reputable ticket resale platform that guarantees a refund in case of any problems. An illegitimate reseller might provide a counterfeit ticket or a different location than advertised, or even not provide a ticket at all.
- Avoid paying for tickets in cash, by bank transfer, or by prepaid transfer. If the tickets turn out to be counterfeit, it will be more difficult to recover your money. If you pay by credit card or PayPal and the tickets turn out to be counterfeit, you can dispute the charge.
- Be wary of any aggressive sales tactics and ticket prices that seem too good to be true. Ask the seller questions to verify the authenticity of the tickets. Ask to see proof of purchase. If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- If you purchase tickets online through a broker, first check their reputation through the Better Business Bureau and consumer complaint websites. Tickets from reputable secondary market brokers can be expensive, but they may offer additional protections. For example, some brokers offer replacement tickets or full refunds if the tickets turn out to be counterfeit.
- Be wary of tickets printed at home. Even if they look authentic, they may not be. Many venues allow consumers to print tickets from their computers. Scammers can sell that same ticket to multiple buyers. Depending on the barcode, only the first buyer to arrive at the event will be admitted. Counterfeiters can also print and reproduce barcodes: you may gain entry to the concert venue, but then the real ticket holder appears, and you have to leave. Whenever possible, look for tickets printed by the stadium or arena.
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, you can contact the New York State Attorney General by calling 1-800-771-7755 or file a complaint online.