[AlexanderTheGr8]

Nice reverse engineering! As a hacky way for the non-tech-savvy, couldn't you use a temp account to create ticketmaster account and then buy the ticket and then sell the temp account information to bypass their rules?

This reverse-engineering also breaks if ticketmaster forces venue staff to only scan if the barcode is in the ticketmaster app. Unless you create a lookalike app to trick the staffers.

[xp84]

I am not an expert, but I think one of their layers of protections (that is, to ensure that TM itself gets the greatest share of scalping money) is applying much greater scrutiny to freshly-created accounts when it comes to the in-demand events. I'm not sure how they effectively bootstrap new legit users of course, but I've been offered I think around $100 to sell my Ticketmaster account, which is old. (I can't recall how they found me, perhaps it was an ad just stating that they'd buy an account older than X years).

[hunter2_]

> bootstrap new legit users

Phone number? The friction/expense of a scalper getting a new one for every sale would seem sufficient. Although I guess the scalper could reclaim (via password reset or whatever) accounts after the show to some extent.

[jasomill]

Good luck forcing a check like this at a busy event venue.

I once paid at Starbucks with the Apple Wallet barcode appearing in a photo of my phone displayed on the back of a DSLR. Plopped my not-remotely-iPhone-like Nikon D800 on the counter lens-down, LCD-up, barista scanned it without a second thought.