Ticketmaster thinks my account is a bot

If you’ve received an error message from Ticketmaster stating that your account looks suspicious or may be a bot, don’t panic. This happens more often than you’d think and can usually be resolved fairly easily. Here’s what’s likely going on and some tips for how to get your account back to normal.

Why Ticketmaster flags accounts as bots

Ticketmaster has automated systems in place to detect bot activity and suspicious patterns that could indicate scalping or bulk purchases. This helps them crack down on ticket brokers who use bots to quickly snap up tickets. However, legitimate customers sometimes get caught up by these filters too. Here’s why you may have been flagged:

• Making too many searches or page views in a short time
• Purchase history looks irregular (e.g. buying lots of tickets all at once)
• Your location or IP address changed while browsing
• Using privacy tools like VPNs or incognito mode
• Shared or public wifi networks

Often it’s just an algorithm error and you’ve done nothing wrong. Ticketmaster’s system can’t always tell the difference between a real fan eagerly searching for tickets and a scalper bot doing the same thing. But don’t worry, there are ways to get your account back in good standing.

How to get Ticketmaster to recognize you’re not a bot

Here are some tips for proving your account belongs to a real human fan:

1. Contact support. This is the quickest way. Explain your situation via email, live chat or phone. They can review your account activity and verify you’re not a bot.
2. Provide identification. To confirm your identity, you may need to submit info like your full name, mailing address, last 4 digits of your credit card, etc.
3. Limit search activity. Using Ticketmaster sparingly for a while can help. Reduce how often you search and click around on the site.
4. Avoid VPNs and public WiFi. Connect from a private home or cellular network. Shared connections sometimes look suspicious.
5. Use a consistent device & browser. Sticking to one phone or computer helps establish recognizable patterns.
6. Don’t use incognito/private mode. Regular browsing in normal mode looks more human.
7. Be patient. It can take a bit of time for Ticketmaster’s systems to re-evaluate your account activity and restore full access.

Troubleshooting tips if Ticketmaster still thinks you’re a bot

If you’re still blocked from Ticketmaster after trying the steps above, here are some additional things to check:

• Make sure third party cookies are enabled in your browser settings.
• Try a different browser or device – something you haven’t used to access Ticketmaster before.
• Clear your browser cookies, cache and site data for Ticketmaster.com.
• Avoid using auto-fillers when entering your info on the site.
• Check that your network firewall or security settings aren’t blocking the site.
• Try disabling any ad blocker or tracking blocker extensions temporarily.

You can also reach out to their support team again and ask them to take another look. Provide any details about troubleshooting steps you’ve tried already.

What to do if your Ticketmaster account is permanently limited

In rare cases, Ticketmaster may permanently limit accounts that show persistent suspicious patterns. If you can’t resolve your bot status through the steps above, here’s what to try next:

• Request a review and explain why you believe the limitations are invalid.
• Provide any documentation you can (receipts, order history, etc) showing legitimate activity.
• Note if you’ve had any changes (new payment method, device, location etc) that could look suspicious.
• Create a new Ticketmaster account and be extra careful to avoid triggers.
• Use a different payment method and new email address for the new account.
• Consider creating accounts with other ticket vendors like AXS, SeatGeek etc.

If Ticketmaster won’t reactivate your account, you may need to accept the loss and move forward with a clean slate. While frustrating, this is often the only option if you want to keep using their platform.

How to avoid Ticketmaster bot problems in the future

Once you regain access to Ticketmaster, apply these tips to keep your account in good standing for the long-haul:

• Limit searches to 5-10 per event without making a purchase.
• Use Ticketmaster consistently from one device and browser.
• Stick to private home or mobile networks instead of public WiFi.
• Disable VPNs, incognito modes and ad blockers when purchasing.
• Enter info manually instead of using autofill.
• Allow cookies and disable tracking protections.
• Create only one account and don’t share logins across people.

While Ticketmaster’s bot prevention can be annoying, it aims to ensure fair access to tickets. By understanding their systems and tweaking your habits, you can avoid issues in the future.

Why Ticketmaster is so aggressive about bots

Ticketmaster employs aggressive bot detection for a few key reasons:

• Prevent ticket scalping – Bots allow scalpers to quickly buy up tons of tickets and resell them at inflated prices.
• Level the playing field – Without bots, all fans have an equal shot at grabbing tickets.
• Improve site performance – Bot traffic overloads servers and impacts real fans trying to get tickets.
• Reduce fraud – Bots are sometimes used for fraudulent activities beyond just scalping.
• Comply with regulations – Many states have anti-bot ticket purchasing laws that Ticketmaster must adhere to.

While this vigilant bot policing can be a headache for regular users, Ticketmaster considers it necessary to maintain fairness and integrity on its platform. The company has entire teams dedicated to bot prevention and mitigation. They continue to update their safeguards as bot technology evolves in sophistication.

How ticket scalpers use bots to get an edge

Ticket brokers rely heavily on bot technology to gain an advantage over normal fans in buying tickets. Here are some of their tactics:

• Running hundreds of bots simultaneously across different IP addresses to make purchases.
• Using bots to rapidly search for tickets the moment sales open before others can.
• Programming bots to target specific seats, like front row or VIP packages.
• Masking bot traffic patterns to try avoiding detection filters.
• Using bots to create multiple user accounts rapidly.
• Capturing tickets early then dynamically repricing based on demand.

Scalpers have gotten very sophisticated. Some leverage machine learning and AI to create bots that behave more like humans to evade safeguards. Others are tapping dark web resources to obtain huge blocks of IP addresses to spread their traffic across.

Anti-bot laws have led scalpers to shift some of their ticket buying operations overseas as well. Countries with more lax rules become launch pads. While Ticketmaster fights this on a technical level, legal changes are needed to enable a broader crackdown.

Tips for competing with bots when buying tickets

Trying to score tickets in popular onsales against hordes of scalper bots can seem daunting. But don’t lose hope! Here are some tips to boost your odds:

• Get verified ahead of time – Complete ID verification, payment setup etc in your Ticketmaster account before the onsale.
• Use Ticketmaster directly – Buy from the source, not resale sites prone to bots.
• Be ready right at onsale time – Log in early and keep refreshing around the start time.
• Try alternative presales – Many artists and vendors hold presales before the public onsale.
• Search broadly – Don’t fixate on specific seats or sections only bots target.
• Have backup payment methods – In case your primary gets rejected in the buying fray.
• Use your mobile app – Smaller screen bots often focus on desktop.
• Try waiting it out – More tickets often get released over time.

While challenging, scoring real tickets is possible with persistence, preparation and patience. Don’t feed the scalpers – you’ve got this!

Conclusion

Getting an error from Ticketmaster about your account looking like a bot can be alarming, but this situation is fixable. Contact customer support, provide identification, adjust your browsing habits and be patient as their systems reassess your activity. With some care, you can get your account back to normal.

Remember to use Ticketmaster consistently from one device, limit your searches, avoid VPNs and incognito browsing when purchasing tickets. This will prevent bot triggers going forward. While frustrating, their strict policies aim to maintain fairness on the platform.

Stay vigilant against scalpers and leverage preparation, persistence and alternative options to get the real tickets you want. You can still compete against the bots with the right strategy.