The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a complaint against Maryland-based ticket broker Key Investment Group and its affiliates, alleging they used unlawful tactics to exceed ticket purchasing limits and resell tickets at significantly higher prices. The operation, which includes multiple companies and individuals, is accused of bypassing security measures implemented by Ticketmaster to block resellers from violating ticket purchasing limits.
According to the FTC, the defendants used various tactics to circumvent these protections, including creating thousands of fake accounts, using virtual credit card numbers, and hiding their identity with proxy or spoofed IP addresses. These tactics allowed them to purchase at least 379,776 tickets in just over a year for nearly $57 million, and resell them on secondary marketplaces for approximately $64 million.
The FTC alleges that the defendants violated federal law by “circumventing a security measure” used by Ticketmaster to enforce ticket limits. The agency is taking action to ensure that consumers have access to tickets at fair prices.
The complaint follows an Executive Order issued by President Trump in March, which aimed to crack down on unscrupulous middlemen who harm fans and drive up prices through anticompetitive methods. The FTC will continue to monitor the operation and enforce federal law to protect consumers.
Source: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/08/ftc-takes-action-against-ticket-resellers-using-illegal-tactics-bypass-ticket-limit-protections