New Circle In Hell Opens Up For Scalpers Selling $60K Tickets To Sandy Benefit Concert

You want to go see the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, Billy Joel and more? Sure you do, so do I. But to the scalpers that are trying to turn a profit by reselling tickets to a star-studded benefit concert for victims of Hurricane Sandy, I have one thing to say to you: You are slime.

Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sandy victims are ripping scalpers a new one for reselling tickets to the “12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief” at New York City’s Madison Square Garden for up to as much as $60,000, reports the New York daily News. Those tickets were originally sold at face values between $150 and $2,500. Proceeds will go to a charitable organization, the Robin Hood Relief Fund.

Via the NYDN:

“I find it appalling that scalpers are trying to profit off this charitable concert,” Schumer wrote to StubHub and TicketLiquidator.
The senator called on the resale sites to stop listing tickets for the concert at prices above the face value of the ducat “unless that person is willing to donate all money from its sale.”

One man, whose family was displaced from their Breezy Point home because of the storm added his voice to the others disgusted at such a display of greed.

“My kids, my wife, my plumber — they all want to go! They all need relief, just to get their minds clear,” he said. “But who has the tickets? Not the people who need the relief!”

StubHub’s 25% cut of the scalped tickets will be donated to the Robin Hood Relief fund, at least, but the other chunk goes to the scalper.

“The resale of tickets is going to take place on our site or somewhere else,” said a spokesman for the company, who added that the event has already raised $300,000. “At least on our site our proceeds go to charity.”

Okay, yes, a resale does mean additional money will go to the charity, even while others reap big profits. Does that make it right?

Nope, says Ticketmaster, which has banned users from posting those same tickets on its resale sites, TicketsNow and TicketExchange.

“No one but the Robin Hood Foundation should profit from this event,” a Ticketmaster spokeswoman said.

We’re usually not on Ticketmaster’s side but in this case? Good on you, Ticketmaster. Good on you.

Chuck Schumer, Sandy victims rip shameless scalpers charging up to $60,000 for tickets to the 12-12-12 benefit concert [New York Daily News]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.