Mumbai: Amid rising complaints about difficulties in securing tickets for high-demand events, Maharashtra Cyber Cell has issued a notice to the ticketing platform BookMyShow and others. The notice urges implementing measures for better consumer protection, such as introducing name-based tickets.
It also instructs the platform to implement strict measures to prevent ticket black marketing. This directive follows numerous complaints from fans struggling to buy tickets for major events, especially the highly anticipated Coldplay concert scheduled for January 2025.
An official from the Maharashtra Cyber Cell highlighted that complaints reveal issues like unresponsive websites during critical booking periods, often resulting in tickets being sold in the black market at inflated prices.
The official noted a growing number of grievances on online forums and social media regarding the difficulty of booking tickets for high-profile concerts and events. Sometimes, tickets are resold at prices up to 10 times the original cost. The Maharashtra Cyber Wing argues that current safeguards on ticketing platforms are inadequate to address these concerns.
A public interest litigation (PIL) concerning the Coldplay concert has already been filed in the Bombay High Court, seeking comprehensive guidelines to curb black marketing and ticket scalping. Additionally, Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing is investigating the matter. The Coldplay concert is set to take place in January 2025.
The Office of the Special Inspector General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department, is the Nodal Agency for Cyber Security and Cybercrime for the state of Maharashtra. Maharashtra Cyber is committed to protecting the digital rights of citizens and ensuring secure and fair practices on online platforms.
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Recently, the department has observed an increasing number of complaints across online forums and social media, where citizens reported significant issues when attempting to purchase tickets for high-profile concerts and events through ticketing platforms like BookMyShow and others.