Ticket Touts ?

[KLAG175]

Is it illegal to buy tickets for a concert from a tout outside the venue ? I have left it late to buy a ticket in the conventional manner, but really want to go to this concert, so I was considering buying a ticket from a tout. So my question is (a) is it legal to do so, and (b) can I be certain that what he is selling is genuine, and when I get inside I am not going to find some genuine ticket holders sitting in my seats !!

[andy hughes]

The irony of the law is, it's perfectly legal for you to buy tickets from a tout, but it is illegal for him to sell them to you! You will usually find that tickets are genuine - have a good look at them before you buy (take a torch, it's dark ourtside most venues) and see if the paper is good quality - if any embossing is raised, the usual ways tickets are printed to avoid conterfeiting, which is a different thing althogether. Chances are you'll be OK, but leave it unitil the last possible moment before you buy, and haggle if you feel up to it - by then the touts will be keen to get something rather than nothing, so don't be too keen to accept the first offer you get. Enjoy the gig.

[Moog]

Always worth checking eBay.. depending on how soon the event is. I've bought tickets from Touts on a number of occaisions and they are not always the rip off people assume. I got less than face value tickets to two "sell out" gigs in the last year the closer to the start time the better your chance of haggling them down.