Ticket black marketeers employ many technologies to gain unfair advantage:
Bots Scripts or programs designed to perform tasks automatically, such as filling out forms and making purchases at high speeds.
Proxy servers Used to mask IP addresses, making it difficult to detect and block activities. Proxies can also help bypass geographical restrictions and rate limits.
Captcha (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) Advanced bots are equipped with Captcha-solving capabilities, either through automated algorithms or human-assisted services, to bypass Captcha challenges.
Browser automation tools Selenium and Puppeteer allow scalpers to automate browser actions, mimicking human behaviour to avoid detection.AI-powered ticketing systems can prevent ticket scalping by: Dynamic pricing and allocation that adjusts ticket prices in real- time based on demand, market conditions and other factors. This approach helps reduce artificial scarcity and exorbitant resale prices by pricing tickets more competitively from start. Also, AI can optimise ticket allocation to ensure a more equitable distribution among fans rather than allowing bulk purchases by scalpers.
Advanced fraud detection by analysing large datasets of ticketing information to identify suspicious patterns and potential fraudulent activities in real-time. These systems can track purchasing behaviour and flag unusual transactions, detect multiple purchases from the same IP address, identify inconsistent geographical locations of buyers and recognise patterns indicative of bot activity. By catching scalpers before they complete transactions, AI-powered fraud detection significantly reduces the risk of ticket scalping.
Bot detection and prevention mechanisms can effectively combat automated ticket-buying bots used by scalpers. These systems can implement advanced Captcha challenges, analyse user behaviour to distinguish between human and bot activity, and use ML to adapt and refine detection strategies in response to evolving bot techniques.
Personalised ticketing systems that link tickets to individuals can be AI-enabled. This makes it more difficult for scalpers to resell tickets. Features may include unique QR codes difficult to replicate, blockchain tech to prevent ticket duplication, and options to disable ticket transfers.
Behavioural analysis tools powered by AI can monitor user behaviour throughout the ticket purchasing process to detect anomalies. This includes identifying unusually fast purchase times, multiple transactions from the same source, inconsistent browsing patterns, and smart marketing and sales strategies.
Optimise marketing and sales strategies to prioritise genuine fans by segmenting customers based on preferences and purchase history, creating targeted marketing campaigns for specific user segments, implementing ‘verified fan’ features that use algorithms to identify genuine fans.
Continuous learning powered by AI systems that continuously learn from new data and adapt to ever-changing scalping techniques can be evolved. This ensures that anti-scalping measures remain effective over time.
While AI offers immense potential in improving ticketing systems, these technologies must be implemented responsibly and ethically. Algos should be transparent and explainable. There should also be regular auditing and oversight, and consumer feedback mechanisms.
While AI offers powerful tools for combating scalping, a comprehensive approach that combines tech with legal and policy measures is necessary for most effective results. We must engage in open dialogue, collaborate across sectors and remain committed to protecting consumer interests in this rapidly evolving digital age.
