CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tickets are going fast in other cities where sales have started for Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour.
It's been a buzz on social media ahead of Beyoncé 's Queen City stop in August, but general admission tickets don't go on sale until later this month.
So why are tickets already posted on other sites, like StubHub?
StubHub's site shows tickets are available for purchase but at a pretty high price. Some people aren't sure if these tickets are legitimate, and if so, how StubHub sells them before they're released to the public.
OUR SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
When looking at StubHub, you will find around 100 tickets available for the Aug. 9 show at Bank of America Stadium. Prices are pretty steep, ranging from $356 in the upper deck to $8,100 floor seats.
"There could be people connected to Beyoncé that got tickets in advance," Bartholomy said. "There are people that are connected to the venue that got tickets in advance or people that are connected to the promoter," Bartholomy said.
Bartholomy said these should be verified tickets. StubHub also gives a guarantee on its website that states:
"We back every order so you can buy and sell tickets with 100 percent confidence."
"So they guarantee that the ticket is good," Bartholomy said. "If you get to the venue and it's not good, they will get you other seats in the venue as well."
He said for other shows, some credit card holders also get pre-sale tickets and tend to sell on these sites to make a profit. However, Bartholomy said to stay away from places like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist where there is no guarantee the tickets will be legit. Once tickets do go on sale, expect to see a lot more of them available on StubHub.
"There are 50,000 tickets that are going to be for sale for the Charlotte show," Bartholomy said. "That's bigger than what we see, but if demand is double that and you are selling those tickets, then yeah, you're going to make bank."
Tip to avoid becoming a victim of a scam
Emotional appeal - Any pitch that ratchets up your emotion will inhibit your rational judgment.
Sense of urgency - You MUST act now, or else.
Request for unorthodox payment - Gift cards, prepaid credit cards, wire transfers, etc.
Explanations that don't ring true - If your new “landlord” can’t show you the inside of the house, that could be because they don’t own it.
You won, now pay up - It’s not a prize if you have to pay for it. Taxes, fees, shipping, whatever.
Too good to be true - That’s because it’s not true. Sorry, your long-lost relative didn’t die, leaving you millions. That car you bought online for a third of its Kelly Blue Book value doesn’t really exist. The son of a billionaire diamond broker didn’t “swipe right” on you and fall instantly in love. That work-at-home job paying you hundreds of dollars an hour for stuffing envelopes isn’t real.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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