Fix the Tix Looks to Decommission Resale Ticket Scams With the ‘Fan Action Center’ — NIVA Urges Crackdown on 6,000+ ‘Deceptive Ticketing URLs’

Photo Credit: ActionVance

What’s the best way to decommission secondary ticketing scams? Demand refunds, call out resale platforms, and contact lawmakers, according to Fix the Tix, which has launched a “Fan Action Center” designed to help shortchanged customers.

Fan Alliance and Fix the Tix rolled out the digital hub today, which marked the second day of the National Independent Venue Association’s (NIVA’s) fifth annual conference. Founded in 2023 and led by NIVA, Fix the Tix counts as members the RIAA, A2IM, and several others.

And in keeping with its name, the big-tent coalition aims to enact “fan-first, artist-friendly ticketing reform.” Enter the Fix the Tix Fan Action Center, which, at the top level, encourages attendees (and would-be attendees) to request refunds from ticket resale platforms.

Of course, falling victim to a straight scam – including, for instance, by being left with fake tickets – is an excellent reason to seek a refund.

Interestingly, however, the Fan Action Center doesn’t seem all that particular about why fans are attempting to get their money back. To be sure, organizers identified not just invalid passes, but “paying far above face value” and “navigating confusing and deceptive listings” as symptoms “of a broken resale system.”

Bearing as much in mind, Fix the Tix is also prompting ticked-off ticketholders to reach out to members of Congress about their experiences.

Time will tell whether these complaints can fuel wins on Capitol Hill – though they’ll perhaps be boosted by a regulatory climate that can safely be described as unfavorable for resale platforms.

But the Fan Action Center isn’t stopping there, as it’s further urging customers to post on social media about their poor ticketing experiences.

“A text post, photo, or comment all make a difference, but if you’re comfortable, a short 30-60 second video is even more powerful,” Fix the Tix wrote, proceeding to highlight a few central details that fans should remember to include in their messages.

Adjacent to the Fan Action Center’s launch – overall, NIVA’s 2026 conference has delivered multiple announcements – NIVA itself penned a letter requesting that attorneys general crack down on “deceptive URLs and websites that are deceiving consumers into believing they are buying tickets directly from the artist.”

Specifically attributed to NIVA executive director Stephen Parker, the letter has called on StubHub, TicketNetwork, Concerts50, TicketSqueeze, and BigStub to permanently ban the scalpers behind the deceptive URLs.

For those platforms’ convenience, NIVA attached a list of some 6,000 allegedly deceptive domains, including all manner of third-party sites featuring an artist name followed by the word “tour.”

“Our discovery of 6,000 deceptive ticketing websites and URLs offers a troubling window into the scale of consumer deception occurring across the ticket resale marketplace,” said Parker.

“The Fan Action Center gives fans the tools they need to take action when they confront issues like these, whether that’s pursuing a refund, reporting fraud, contacting consumer protection enforcement, policymakers, or sharing their experience, while helping build momentum for meaningful reform,” the NIVA head and Fix the Tix chair continued.

As for what comes next, NIVA is preparing to plug the Fan Action Center at indie venues and festivals across the country with prominently displayed QR codes as well as staff handouts.

In the bigger picture, weeks after Vermont targeted ticket scalping with a law of its own, Fix the Tix is evidently looking to keep the momentum going with additional legislative victories.