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Theatregoers fleeced by invalid Book of Mormon tickets on resale website

Thursday, 9 Mar 2017 04:09:09 | Peter Lusted

Tom Bagiotas paid $257 for the ticket. (ABC News: Peter Lusted)

A ticket resale website that outraged music fans by allowing scalpers to sell tickets at hugely inflated prices, is also being used by scammers to sell invalid tickets.

Swiss website Viagogo, along with Australia's Ticketmaster Resale, are the subject of a complaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleging misleading and deceptive conduct.

The complaint — made by consumer advocacy group Choice — came after the sites sold Midnight Oil tickets well over sale price, just minutes after the band's comeback tour sold out.

Complaints are now being made about Viagogo also selling invalid tickets to events.

Tom Bagiotas, 18, spent $257 on a ticket to the hit musical The Book of Mormon, playing in Melbourne, on the Viagogo site.

The ticket was originally purchased for $96.

"When I had heard that The Book of Mormon was a play that they [the creators of South Park] created … I said I'm going to see this no matter what," he said.

A cancelled ticket to the Book of Mormon theatre show. Photo: Tom Bagiotas paid $257 for the ticket. (ABC News: Peter Lusted)

"I just had to buy it, there was no other option."

He went to Melbourne's Princess Theatre to see the show on Tuesday night but received a rude shock when he was denied entry because of an invalid ticket.

"They said 'we're sorry, we've had to send a lot of people away with these [Viagogo] tickets'," he said.

"I just felt really sad. This was my life's savings, but I'm only 18 years old."

Ticketing staff at the Princess Theatre said it is a weekly occurrence.

They have found scalpers resell tickets at inflated prices and even sell copies of the tickets to several buyers.

Theatre staff said other scammers cancelled their purchase once they have received tickets to get a refund, before reselling the invalid tickets.

Viagogo is facing a crackdown in England following a surge in complaints.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she would address accusations the ticket reselling company showed disregard for consumer laws.

"As a Government we are looking at where markets are not working in the interests of consumers," she said.

The ABC has contacted Viagogo and the Princess Theatre for comment.

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