Can Ticketmaster detect VPN?

As online event ticket sales have exploded in popularity, so too have concerns around securing tickets fairly through verified sales. The use of VPNs and proxy servers to disguise location and grab tickets has led Ticketmaster and other ticket sellers to develop techniques to detect and block VPN usage.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows internet users to establish secure connections to a private network and share data remotely through public networks. VPNs encrypt internet traffic and disguise a user’s IP address, making the user’s activity and location anonymous.

While there are legitimate uses for VPNs – like protecting business communications – some unscrupulous users leverage VPNs to bypass geography-based restrictions and gain unfair advantages. For example, using a VPN to disguise an IP and purchase event tickets for a specific region before sales open more widely.

Why do people use VPNs to buy tickets?

There are a few key reasons people use VPNs when purchasing tickets:

• Gain early access – By masking their real location, users can access presales and other exclusive offers only available to specific regions.
• Circumvent ticket limits – Venues and ticket sellers often place limits on the number of tickets someone can buy. A VPN disguises multiple purchases under different IPs.
• Resell restricted tickets – Tickets are sometimes restricted to region, name, etc. VPNs allow users to get around those limits and resell restricted tickets.
• Get around high demand – Using a VPN may help users access tickets during high traffic sales by distributing purchases across IP addresses.

While often considered unfair by legitimate buyers, these tactics allow shrewd users early and expanded access to in-demand events. However, ticket sellers are trying to curb this behavior.

Can Ticketmaster detect VPN usage?

Ticketmaster utilizes a number of strategies to identify and restrict VPN usage on their platform:

• Analyzing IP patterns – Unusual activity coming from a single source IP address or related group of IPs can flag potential VPN use.
• Geolocation tools – Comparing user activity to real geolocation helps identify mismatches indicative of VPNs.
• Browser/device fingerprinting – Inconsistent browser setups, like mismatched locations and languages, can detect VPNs.
• Access rate limits – Rapid access or bulk purchases from a source IP trigger anti-fraud monitoring.
• VPN blacklists – Maintaining databases of known VPN IP addresses which are blocked.

Ticketmaster also closely guards the specifics of their VPN detection methods to hide vulnerabilities. Overall, they claim a high degree of accuracy identifying and restricting VPN and proxy use.

Does Ticketmaster always block VPNs?

Ticketmaster maintains a strict anti-VPN policy and blocks detected VPN traffic from accessing their ticket sales platforms. However, limitations in detection techniques mean some VPN usage may slip through cracks:

• Individual VPN use may go undetected, unlike large volume bot purchases.
• Sophisticated strategies like rotating IPs or residential proxies help avoid IP blacklists.
• Geolocation tools aren’t 100% accurate and can be tricked.
• Device fingerprinting often relies on cookies which can be cleared.

Traffic from large-scale reseller bots is most likely to be blocked. Individual fans using VPNs discretely have better odds, although still against Terms of Use.

Tips for accessing Ticketmaster via VPN

For users intent on accessing Ticketmaster through a VPN, there are some best practices to follow:

• Use reputable paid VPN services to avoid easily flagged IP addresses.
• Minimize suspicious geolocation mismatches by choosing nearby VPN servers.
• Clear cookies and browser data to disrupt device fingerprinting.
• Spread purchases over time and multiple accounts to avoid bulk access flags.
• Limit checkout attempts from the same IPs to reduce risk of blocks.

However, there are never any guarantees given Ticketmaster’s active anti-VPN efforts. Even individual fans may find themselves shut out after repeated VPN use is detected.

Why you shouldn’t use a VPN with Ticketmaster

Ultimately, VPN usage with Ticketmaster violates their Terms of Use, so proceeding carries risks:

• Purchases may be cancelled and tickets revoked if VPN use is uncovered.
• Accounts face possible suspension or banning for repeated ToS violations.
• VPNs don’t hide identity forever; legal action has been pursued in some past cases.
• Unfairly securing tickets through bots or other means can damage an artist’s reputation.

Fans are best served playing by the rules to avoid potentially serious fallout. Patience, persistence and savvy strategy are better ways to score tickets than resorting to questionable VPN tactics.

Alternative ticket buying options

Rather than risk trouble with Ticketmaster ToS violations, fans have other options to acquire tickets:

• Official presales & lotteries – Most shows offer presale codes through fan clubs and mailing lists which offer early access.
• Social media contests – Venues/bands often run ticket giveaways through channels like Twitter and Instagram.
• Authorized resellers – Many tickets get resold through safe verified resale markets like Ticketmaster’s own resale site.
• Non-transferable tickets – Some tickets require ID/CC of purchaser, deterring much resale scalping.

Staying patient and persistent with safe methods almost always yields tickets for hot shows eventually. No VPN trickery required!

Ticketmaster’s efforts to ensure fair access

Ticketmaster employs a range of strategies to ensure real fans get fair ticket access including:

• Restricting bulk purchases and placing per-account/credit card limits
• Using “Verified Fan” sales which require pre-registration
• Prioritizing fan club and other priority purchasers in presales
• Partnering with CAPTCHA and other anti-bot providers to restrict automated sales
• Cancelling known scalped ticket orders and invalidating related tickets

Artists can also implement measures like requiring ID matching ticket holder name, non-transferable tickets, and limiting numbers of tickets per purchase.

Ticketmaster will continue evolving its systems and policies to block unfair purchases – whether via bots, VPNs or other means. The end goal remains providing the best experience for real fans.

Conclusion

While VPNs can sometimes help ticket buyers circumvent access restrictions, Ticketmaster employs multiple strategies to identify and block VPN usage. Their anti-VPN efforts are sophisticated and largely effective, especially against large volume reseller bots. Still, diligent individual fans may succeed in discreet VPN usage despite violating Terms of Service. However, the risks of account suspension, cancelled tickets and legal action are rarely worth reward. Persistence, presales and fan clubs remain the best paths to hot tickets without resorting to questionable VPN tactics.