Consumers expressing confusion while purchasing tickets online.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is investigating Pure Tonic Marketing Ltd. and its site Ticket Squeeze.com for fraudulent ticket gouging at University of Michigan events. Complaints allege deceptive sales tactics and inflated prices misled concertgoers. The probe, prompted by the University Musical Society’s complaints, highlights the broader issue of predatory ticket reselling affecting non-profit arts groups. Nessel advises consumers to verify vendors and practices to avoid exploitation. The investigation aims to protect Michigan consumers and restore integrity in ticket sales.
The Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has launched an investigation into Pure Tonic Marketing Ltd. and its website Ticket Squeeze.com for alleged fraudulent ticket gouging practices targeting concertgoers at the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium. The investigation stems from complaints regarding deceptive ticket sales that misled consumers about the legitimacy of the sources from which they were purchasing tickets.
Pure Tonic Marketing, reportedly based in Seychelles, has been accused of creating a website—thehillauditorium.com—that mimicked the official site of Hill Auditorium. This imitation created confusion for customers, leading them to believe they were buying tickets from a reliable provider linked to the University of Michigan. In actuality, the website had no affiliation with the university or the auditorium, and those who visited thehillauditorium.com were redirected to Ticket Squeeze.com, where they faced inflated ticket prices.
The investigation began following a formal complaint from the University Musical Society (UMS), a non-profit organization that facilitates ticket sales for events at Hill Auditorium. UMS reported severe instances of ticket price inflation, such as one customer who paid $1,263.95 for two tickets to a Berlin Philharmonic performance, while those same tickets were being offered for only $175 each on UMS’s official website. Such examples illustrate the significant financial burden these alleged schemes place on consumers.
It has also come to light that other venues may be victims of similar fraudulent practices. Consequently, investigators are broadening their scope to identify additional deceptive websites operating under comparable pretenses. Attorney General Nessel asserted that misleading customers violates state laws, stressing the importance of safeguarding Michigan consumers from exploitation.
UMS Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Sara Billmann, highlighted the detrimental impact predatory secondary ticket reselling has on nonprofit arts organizations, which are already struggling financially. The rise of such fraudulent activity has provoked concerns over the overall health of the arts community and accessibility for genuine concertgoers.
In response to the increase in fraudulent ticket sales, Nessel’s office is actively advising consumers to exercise caution when purchasing tickets online. Key recommendations include verifying the credibility of vendors, researching sellers through the Better Business Bureau, and utilizing credit card transactions for the added benefit of consumer protection. Consumers are also urged to ensure that websites are secure, indicated by the presence of HTTPS in the URL.
Following a previous domain dispute won by the University of Michigan, Pure Tonic Marketing allegedly transitioned to a new website—annarborconcerts.com—which continues to redirect users to Ticket Squeeze.com and perpetuates the alleged fraudulent activity. Insiders indicate that tickets available through Ticket Squeeze are often not in its possession, representing another violation of Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act.
To assist affected individuals, UMS is actively providing support for customers seeking to dispute charges made through these questionable resale platforms, advising them to engage with credit card companies to advocate for refunds and other consumer rights.
The ongoing investigation emphasizes the need for heightened awareness among consumers regarding online ticket purchasing practices. The Michigan Attorney General’s initiative aims to clamp down on deceptive practices while promoting a fair and transparent ticket marketplace for all concertgoers in the state.
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