Make Sure to Buy the Right Tickets!
Several traveling, immersive Van Gogh exhibits are making headlines, mostly because their similar names are creating widespread confusion. Art enthusiasts are largely looking to purchase tickets to Immersive Van Gogh, but accidentally buying tickets to Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, Imagine Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, or Van Gogh Alive.
The mix-ups are leading to confusion and frustration, and some are concerned about the legitimacy of the events. One consumer turned to BBB Scam Tracker to share their story. “I saw ads online for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, this is different than The Immersive Experience: (Imagine) Van Gogh. From what I have seen, this whole website is false advertising. There is no information on where the event is, even though it was to be announced when the tickets went on sale. There is no information on refunding tickets, no phone number, and the email address for customer service has not yielded any response.”
While Immersive Van Gogh is selling tickets through VanGoghNYC.com, Ticketmaster and Universe.com, customers accidentally buying tickets to Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience are purchasing them through Fever. The ticket sales company has accrued nearly 200 complaints with BBB in the last 12 months.
If you’re hoping to find tickets to one of these traveling exhibits, use these tips from your Better Business Bureau before you buy:
–Purchase from the venue. Purchase tickets from the official venue, or their secondary sales options, whenever possible. If the only sales option is through a third-party vendor, check the vendor’s rating and reviews on BBB.org before you buy.
–Watch for name similarities. Using names similar to those of established events, businesses and organizations is a common scammer’s trick. Confirm the name of the event you want to attend and be sure the website you’re looking at states that name exactly.
–Know the refund policy. Terms of the transaction should be clearly disclosed prior to purchase. Know what options are available to you if you accidentally buy tickets to the wrong event.
–Use safe payment options. Payment options like credit cards allow you to dispute charges and get your money back if the tickets you receive are incorrect.
–Beware of ads. If you search for tickets online, advertisements may be the first results. Continue scrolling until you find the venue or event’s official website and buy from there.
For more tips on ticket buying tips, visit us at BBB.org/Tickets.
