Quick Answer
No, it is not recommended to put your full Social Security number on Ticketmaster or any other website. Ticketmaster does not require your SSN for making ticket purchases. Providing sensitive personal information like your SSN online increases the risk of identity theft.
Should You Provide Your SSN on Ticketmaster?
Ticketmaster does not need your full 9-digit SSN for you to purchase tickets or create an account. The only information required is your name, email address, and payment details.
Some reasons you may want to avoid providing your SSN on Ticketmaster or similar websites:
- There is no reason for Ticketmaster to collect your SSN. They do not need it to verify your identity or process your ticket orders.
- Submitting your SSN online increases the risk of identity theft if there is a data breach. Your SSN can be used to open fraudulent accounts.
- Ticketmaster’s privacy policy states that they may share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. This could allow your SSN to fall into the wrong hands.
- Once your SSN is compromised, it can be difficult to undo the damage. SSNs are very sensitive and should be protected.
Instead of providing your SSN, use an alternative form of identity like your driver’s license or passport number if Ticketmaster requests ID verification. Or simply provide your name, email address and payment details to complete purchases on Ticketmaster without divulging your Social Security number.
Does Ticketmaster Ever Require Your SSN?
In most cases, Ticketmaster does not require or request your SSN when making ticket purchases online. The only information needed is:
- Name
- Email address
- Payment details (credit card number, billing address etc)
You may need to provide additional identity verification if you are picking up tickets at Will Call. But a photo ID like a driver’s license or passport should suffice in that scenario. Ticketmaster does not need your Social Security number for Will Call verification.
The only time providing your SSN may be required is if you are requesting a refund from Ticketmaster and do not have your original credit card with you. This is an extremely rare scenario. Ticketmaster support articles mention they may request “additional information” like an SSN in these cases to confirm the refund is going to the original ticket purchaser. But it is recommended to avoid providing your SSN if possible, even in this situation.
Is Ticketmaster Secure? Can They Protect Your SSN?
Ticketmaster does take reasonable security precautions to protect user data like:
- Encryption of sensitive information like credit cards
- Monitoring systems to detect fraud and threats
- Requiring passwords for user accounts
However, no company can guarantee complete safety of your personal data. Some security risks to consider:
- Ticketmaster has suffered security breaches exposing user data in the past.
- Providing your SSN online means it is stored in Ticketmaster’s databases, which could be vulnerable to hackers.
- Employees may have access to Ticketmaster user data and could misuse it.
- Providing SSN removes control over who can access it. Ticketmaster may share data with third parties.
You need to trust that Ticketmaster will properly protect and limit access to your SSN if you choose to provide it. But there is always some risk involved with supplying SSN online.
How Can You Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster Without SSN?
It is completely possible to purchase tickets, create an account, and use Ticketmaster’s services without ever providing your Social Security number.
Here are ways to use Ticketmaster without supplying your SSN:
- Purchase tickets while signed out: You can search for events, select tickets, enter payment details and complete purchases on Ticketmaster without creating an account or signing in. No SSN required.
- Create an account: When setting up a Ticketmaster user account, only enter the required info – name, email, password. No SSN needed.
- Use alternate ID for verification: If ID verification is needed, use your driver’s license number instead of SSN.
- Use payment methods that don’t require SSN: Pay with credit card, PayPal or gift cards. Don’t use options requiring SSN like cash pickup.
The key things to avoid are entering your SSN anywhere on the Ticketmaster website and using payment methods that require verifying your identity with an SSN. Follow those guidelines and you can fully use Ticketmaster’s services minus the security risks of supplying your Social Security number online.
What Are the Risks of Giving SSN to Ticketmaster?
Providing your SSN on Ticketmaster seems unnecessary based on their services and increases certain identity theft risks:
Possibility of data breaches
– Ticketmaster stores all user data including SSNs in their systems. This data could be exposed if Ticketmaster suffers a breach.
SSN could be shared or sold
– Ticketmaster’s privacy policy allows sharing of data with third parties. Your SSN could be sold or accessed without your consent.
Potential for insider misuse
– Employees may abuse their access to user SSNs if collected by Ticketmaster and use them illegally.
Difficulty controlling access
– Once your SSN is given online you lose control over who can access it behind the scenes.
Increased phishing risk
– Providing SSN to Ticketmaster could expose you to targeted phishing emails aimed at stealing your identity.
While Ticketmaster has reasonable security, handing over your SSN anywhere online always increases the potential for misuse and fraudulent activity compared to keeping it offline.
Is Ticketmaster Legally Allowed to Require Your SSN?
In most cases, it is illegal for websites like Ticketmaster to require your SSN simply to purchase products or services. The Privacy Act of 1974 restricts when government and private entities can collect SSNs.
Exceptions where SSN collection is allowed under the Privacy Act:
- Required by federal, state or local law (e.g. IRS requires for taxes)
- Voluntarily provided by individual to verify eligibility for government benefits
- Authorizing background checks for employment purposes
Purchasing tickets does not fall under these permitted reasons for collecting SSNs. So requiring an SSN simply to make Ticketmaster ticket purchases would likely violate the Privacy Act.
However, Ticketmaster’s privacy policy does say they may request SSN if “permitted by law” – for example when verifying identity for refunds. But outside of a few rare exceptions, Ticketmaster should not mandate submitting your SSN just to use their ticket services.
Can You Get Ticketmaster Tickets Anonymously?
It is not possible to purchase Ticketmaster tickets 100% anonymously. To complete ticket orders, you need to provide:
- Name
- Email address
- Payment details
At minimum, Ticketmaster needs this contact and payment information from each customer to process transactions.
However, there are steps you can take to increase privacy when ordering tickets:
- Use a temporary/secondary email address not linked to your identity.
- Pay with prepaid card or gift card to keep payment info private.
- Leave optional fields like phone number blank.
- Use a PO box instead of your home address if requested.
While not completely anonymous, limiting the personal details you provide can help protect your privacy when purchasing Ticketmaster tickets online. Just make sure to avoid entering your SSN.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster does not require your Social Security number for online ticket purchases or account creation. Providing your SSN online raises identity theft risks and is unnecessary for Ticketmaster’s services. You should avoid including your SSN when buying tickets or using your Ticketmaster account. Only submit it in rare cases like an in-person refund verification. Otherwise, purchase tickets normally without your SSN by using your name, email, and payment details only. This will allow you to safely use Ticketmaster’s platform while protecting sensitive personal information.
