Ticketmaster Data Breach Victims’ Woes Continue
Brenda Azzolino, of Flemington, New Jersey, and her sister, like many fans, purchased tickets to an upcoming MetLife Stadium concert in good faith. Ten months later, in late September, Azzolino received an email saying her tickets had been transferred out of her account. The culprit, according to her, was Ticketmaster, still recovering from its massive data breach in 2024.
“My Tickets Were Gone” Says Ticketmaster Customer
“I was like, my tickets were gone. Someone took them out of my account,” Azzolino explained, visibly shaken by the incident. It turned out she wasn’t the only one.
A Victim’s-Blues Concertgoer Speaks Out
Alexandra Passer, also from New Jersey, went through a similar ordeal while trying to purchase tickets to Pink’s record-breaking tour. On September 27, Passer received a notification saying the transfer of her tickets had been complete.
Ticket Stolen
Passer, visibly distressed, shared her harrowing experience, saying: “I just paid $1,275 for six tickets…Now, there’s been a lot of tears. It’s very frustrating…it’s very upsetting.” Her frustration amplified after Ticketmaster executive vice president, Dan Wall, clarified the issue as an “account takeover” – citing hackers exploiting compromised login credentials – but the customer insists their own security had been compromised.
More Cases Across the U.S.
Fans, just like Passer and Azzolino, from all across the U.S., report a slew of ticket thievery. NBC News is just a few stories deep.
No Breach to Logins
In an apparent contradiction to Azzolino and Passer’s accounts, Live Nation Executive, Dan Wall, states, “As serious as that was, there was no breach of the sign-in credentials.”
Ticketmaster Offers “Strong Passwords” as Solution
Although scammers claim vulnerable emails and passwords as targets, the company urges, in part: “setting a strong unique password is the top way fans can protect themselves…scammers are looking for new cheats across every industry, and tickets will always be a target because they are valuable.” Still, questions of transparency arise when confronted with contradicting explanations and patchy problem-solving efforts from the very organization supposed to provide them.
A Positive Update for Our Featured Victims
In response to NBC News intervention, both Passer and Azzolino reportedly had their issues resolved, respectively with a full refund for the latter and tickets for the former, bringing closure for both, despite continued anxieties among thousands more with unresolved concerns.
**FAQs**
What did Ticketmaster executives have to say about the breaches?
Answer: “No breach of the sign-in credentials”, claims Live Nation’s executive vice president.
Can compromised emails and passwords cause tickets to be stolen?
Yes, as emphasized by the company.
Does Ticketmaster believe there are specific weaknesses to blame?
According to them, vulnerable login information can lead to successful takeover of accounts.
