There's a new collective effort to minimise the damage done by ticket resellers like Viagogo, with official ticketing companies, entertainment providers and sporting organisations banding together to educate the public.
The platform Viagogo, is popular with scalpers who buy lots of tickets to an event and then on-sell them for a much greater price, giving the company a cut.
It's facing fresh legal action in New Zealand from the Commerce Commission, which says it's breached the fair trading act.
Groups including New Zealand Rugby, Eventfinda, Ticketmaster, and iTicket have held a meeting in Auckland to discuss shared steps in combatting reselling issues.
"If we're consistent in warning people of the risks of the resale market and only to buy from official sources then I think we can create some momentum" said Todd Barberel of New Zealand Rugby.
The website is popular among scalpers who buy multiple tickets to events, and sell them on for an inflated price.
"We don't like seeing our fans pay exorbitant prices, or coming to venues and not actually being able to be admitted because tickets have been sold on multiple occasions"
The industry leaders' meeting was also attended by a Viagogo victim, who's helping others in her position.
"I fought very hard to get my money back and once I did, I realised other people hadn't been so lucky so I started to help a few others, which turned into a group, which has turned into a massive movement" Claire Turnham says.
Living in the UK, the Kiwi has helped reclaim a total of $1.5 million for people.
She's also made resources with information about what people should do if they're ripped off.
Ms Turnham says she's encouraged by the efforts being taken to stop people becoming victims of Viagogo here, and by the legal action that's been announced.
Many New Zealanders have been left out of pocket.
"It needs more regulation and enforcement so I think this is the perfect thing for New Zealand"
"We need to make sure this cannot continue cause it's ordinary people, everyday people who are being affected"
The Commerce Commission says Viagogo has breached the Fair Trading Act by saying it was an "official seller" when it was not, by implying tickets were limited or about to sell out, by saying consumers were "guaranteed" to receive valid tickets to their event, and by misleading customers about the true price of tickets.
"The Commerce Commission now joins a growing group of international enforcement agencies who are bringing similar cases against Viagogo," the Commission said in a release.
Consumer NZ says it is pleased to see the Commerce Commission taking action, and hopes Viagogo will be "bought to book".
Since the beginning of 2017 the Commission has received more than 400 complaints about Viagogo, making it the most complained-about trader in that period.
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