Bad Bunny’s shows in Lisbon are generating reports of alleged scams related to ticket sales and fake VIP access. At least 30 people claim to have paid hundreds or thousands of euros for tickets that ended up not working at the entrance to Estádio da Luz. According to , the total loss could exceed 40,000 euros.
Among the reports are cases of people who only discovered the problem moments before the show, after traveling to Lisbon or receiving apparently valid confirmations. According to the same source, several victims believed they were purchasing tickets through an intermediary known on social media and linked to the media and events outlet.
Name repeated in several complaints
At the center of the complaints is a man identified as João L., a former reporter in Porto, who also presented himself as a journalist. The same newspaper that the suspect writes has accumulated more than 15 thousand followers on Instagram, a profile that has since been deactivated.
According to the same source, many of the victims decided to purchase tickets because they believed it was a reliable source. There are reports of tickets being sold as exclusive access, including VIP areas close to the so-called “casita” associated with the Puerto Rican artist’s show.
Tickets arrived via WhatsApp
One of the victims claims to have paid R$600 for four notes sent later via WhatsApp. The publication mentions that the buyer believed that everything was in order after confirming that the name associated with the IBAN coincided with the contact of the supposed seller.
Days before the show, he received a message indicating that the seller himself had been a victim of fraud. Only at the entrance to Estádio da Luz did he realize that the tickets were not valid.
Discovery happened outside the stadium
Among those injured is Hélder Teixeira, producer linked to Shine Iberia and former collaborator of Porto Canal. According to Jornal de Notícias, he purchased four tickets for 150 euros each and only realized the day before the show that the tickets might not work.
Hélder Teixeira explained that, after sharing the situation on social networks and with the media, dozens of contacts from other alleged victims began to emerge. The publication adds that the producer asked all affected people to file a complaint with the authorities.
According to the same source, there are reports of much greater losses than initially known. Hélder Teixeira cites the case of a woman from Braga who reportedly spent 1,200 euros and was left without the financial capacity to quickly recover the lost amount.
The newspaper writes that other people believed they had purchased premium experiences for the concerts, ending up being prevented from entering the venue when their ticket codes were rejected by the validation systems.
Authorities intensified inspection
The Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) decided to reinforce inspection operations related to illegal ticket sales. ASAE carried out the so-called “Operation Puerto Rico” during the days of the Bad Bunny shows.
Six people were arrested on suspicion of speculation in ticket sales. The operation also resulted in the seizure of 14 tickets sold on digital platforms and social networks above the original price.
Illegal profits reached 410 euros per ticket
In a statement, ASAE revealed that the profit margins identified varied between 120 and 410 euros per ticket sold. The publication mentions that six criminal cases were opened related to these practices. The authority also recalls that the speculative sale of tickets constitutes a crime and can be punished with imprisonment for up to three years, in addition to a fine. The same source adds that consumers should prioritize official sales channels.
The alleged seller associated with several of these complaints would have been known to the authorities since the Covid-19 pandemic period, due to similar situations related to events. To date, reports of new victims linked to the concerts held in Lisbon continue to emerge, while authorities continue to investigate the alleged frauds.
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