If you are having issues accessing your Ticketmaster account or purchasing tickets, there are a few potential reasons why your access may be restricted. Ticketmaster aims to provide a fair and reliable service, so restrictions are sometimes put in place to uphold their terms of service and prevent fraud or scalping activities.
Account under review
One of the most common reasons for restricted access to Ticketmaster is if your account is placed under review. There are a few reasons why your account may be reviewed:
- Suspicious activity – If there is suspicious activity detected on your account such as multiple failed login attempts or access from unusual locations, Ticketmaster may restrict access temporarily while they review your account.
- Violation of terms of service – If you violate any of Ticketmaster’s terms around prohibited activities like scalping, your account can be placed under review.
- High volume of ticket purchases – If your account has a unusually high number of ticket purchases within a short period of time, especially for highly sought after events, it may trigger a review.
If your account is under review, Ticketmaster will typically email you to let you know. You may have limited access to your account and ability to purchase tickets until the review is completed. The review usually takes 24-48 hours. If your account is found to be in good standing, your access will be fully reinstated.
Verification needed
Ticketmaster may also restrict access if your account is not fully verified. In some cases, you may be able to browse events and access your account, but will need to provide additional verification before being able to complete ticket purchases. Reasons verification may be required include:
- Limited verification when account created – When you first create your Ticketmaster account, you may only provide an email address without full identity verification.
- Suspicious payment activity – If Ticketmaster detects suspicious patterns with your stored payment methods, they may require re-verification.
- Contact information changes – If your name, email, or other account details change, Ticketmaster may require re-verification to confirm it is still you accessing the account.
To restore full access, you will need to provide any requested verification information such as your full name, contact information, payment details, and any other requested documentation. Ticketmaster may ask you to upload documents like a photo ID, utility bill, or credit card statement to verify your identity.
Payment issues
Payment failures or issues can also lead to restricted access to your Ticketmaster account. Some examples include:
- Failed credit card payment – If your stored credit card fails when attempting to purchase tickets, Ticketmaster may restrict access until valid payment is provided.
- Declined payment authorization – If Ticketmaster’s payment authorization system declines your payment method, your account will be restricted until they obtain authorization.
- Chargebacks – If you file a chargeback on Ticketmaster purchases, they will restrict your account access and ability to purchase tickets.
To regain access, you will need to provide Ticketmaster with valid payment details authorized for making ticket purchases. You may need to contact your bank if there were mistakes resulting in failed payments or chargebacks.
Violation of Ticketmaster’s Terms of Use
Violating any of Ticketmaster’s Terms of Use can result in account restrictions or even permanent suspension. Some examples that could lead to restrictions include:
- Scalping – Reselling tickets for profits above face value goes against Ticketmaster’s policies and may lead to limitations.
- Bot use – Using bots or other automated means to purchase tickets is strictly prohibited.
- Circumventing systems – Attempts to circumvent Ticketmaster’s systems, restrictions or ticket limits may lead to access restrictions.
- Misrepresenting identity – Providing inaccurate personal or payment information can trigger restrictions.
If Ticketmaster determins you have violated their Terms of Use in any way, they will place restrictions ranging from temporary account suspensions to permanent bans from the platform depending on the severity of the violation. Unfortunately, once such a violation has occurred, it can be very difficult to regain full account access in many cases.
Location and event restrictions
In some cases, Ticketmaster may restrict access to certain events or locations based on your account details and past activity. Some reasons for these types of restrictions can include:
- Geolocking – Access to some events or venues may be restricted based on geographical IP data linked to your account.
- Promoter exclusions – In rare cases, a promoter or venue may restrict fans for various reasons.
- Past purchase history – Your purchase patterns may result in pre-emptive restrictions by Ticketmaster.
If location or event specific restrictions seem to be in place, reaching out to Ticketmaster customer service is the best approach to understand why limitations are in effect and if they can be lifted in any way.
How to get Ticketmaster account access restored
If your Ticketmaster account access appears restricted for any reason, here are some steps you can take to try and regain access:
- Check your email – Ticketmaster will send notification emails to explain any restrictions or suspensions on your account.
- Contact customer support – Reach out to Ticketmaster’s customer service team by phone or chat to inquire about limitations.
- Provide verification information – If requested, promptly provide any personal, payment, or identity verification details to Ticketmaster.
- Comply with Terms of Use – Make sure you fully understand and comply with Ticketmaster’s Terms of Use when using their platform.
- Utilize different payment methods – Try making purchases with a new/different credit card not previously used if payment issues are the cause.
- Wait out review period – If your account is just temporarily placed under review, wait the 24-48 hour review period.
In most cases of restricted access, Ticketmaster will work diligently with you to reinstate your account access as soon as possible. However, restrictions imposed due to violations of their Terms of Use are usually long-lasting and very difficult to overturn.
Preventing Ticketmaster account restrictions
To help avoid problems that can lead to Ticketmaster access restrictions, keep these tips in mind:
- Fully verify your identity and contact info – This will avoid many unnecessary restrictions.
- Maintain accurate and functional payment methods – Don’t let cards expire or exceed limits to avoid payment issues.
- Review Ticketmaster’s Terms of Use – Clearly understand their rules before purchasing tickets or accessing your account.
- Don’t use bots or prohibited tools – Only utilize Ticketmaster’s provided systems to avoid violations.
- Don’t scalp tickets – Reselling should only be done legally via Ticketmaster’s verified resale services.
- Monitor account closely – Watch for any unusual activity that could signal attempted fraud/hacking.
As a Ticketmaster account holder, you share responsibility for maintaining your account properly and avoiding terms violations. Keeping your contact information current, staying away from prohibited activities, and notifying customer service promptly of any issues are the best ways to keep your Ticketmaster access unrestricted.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster account restrictions can be imposed for a variety of reasons based on security concerns, policy violations, or issues with payments or verification. The most common causes include accounts under review, the need for identity verification, payment problems, terms violations, or location/event exclusions. In most cases, restrictions are temporary and access can be restored by addressing the underlying issue. Avoiding terms violations, maintaining accurate account information, and staying compliant with all policies are the best ways to ensure uninterrupted Ticketmaster access.
