Thread by @jentaub

🧵 Pull up a chair. I'm spotting some customer abuse that may link to dodgy accounting

It all started this week when my dear friends told me John Legend canceled his concert planned for Tanglewood in August. They found out because the venue emailed them and promised refunds

1/

I purchased my ticket through a website called @ticketoffices and was billed via PayPal by a company called Ticket Fulfillment Services LP.

So, I went to the website and the chat confirmed that the concert was canceled but that I had to phone customer service. So I did.

2/

The phone call lasted nearly 30 minutes during I asked for a full refund and the rep placed me on hold twice so she could "investigate" the situation even after she confirmed it was canceled.

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She said I'd get an email about "next steps." I said I didn't need steps, I just wanted my money back. That was all the info she had, she explained, so I asked if I could speak with a lawyer there as I was a law professor and did not understand why they refused to credit me.

4/

Then, I repeated that friends who bought tickets through the venue were getting refunded and could I speak with a lawyer. This was when she put me on hold a second time

She came back and said since I mentioned lawyers, she would expedite things and I should get an email now

5/

By the way the total charge was $221. Later that day (Wednesday of this week), I checked my email to discover that @ticketoffices wants customers to accept a store credit instead of a refund worth 120% of the purchase price. Which seems really nice if it is voluntary.

6/

And, they sent another email calculating for me how much of a credit I could get with a special identifier so I can use the credit (I cut that out of the photo below).

Like I said, seems nice if voluntary.

7/

But, here's the thing. I don't want credit. I have no plans to go to anything in the future. So I want my refund. Period. So, I responded to both emails rejecting the offer. And said that if they did not refund the charges within three days, I would litigate. . . .AND

8/

Today, having heard nothing back and so far receiving no credit to my PayPal account from Ticket Fulfillment Services LP, I called the toll-free number again. This time I called the number on my PayPall bill. It got to the same place.

9/

Yet, how STRANGE. Whenever I try to reach a live person after typing in my order number, I get disconnected. So, I decided to do a little research.

I thought to myself, there must be a giant business behind this who has a general counsel whom I can call to get my refund.

10/

I discovered that this company Ticket Fulfillment Services (TFS) has a boatload of complaints filed at the Better Business Bureau website.

Based on Congressional testimony from last year TFS is run by an entity called Vivid Seats LLC.

congress.gov/116/meeting/ho…

11/

Okay. At last a real company. So, next I tried to find someone to speak with at Vivid Seats. When searching for that, Vivid Seats is looking to go public through a merger with a "blank check" company called Horizon Acquisition Corporation.

ticketnews.com/2021/04/vivid-…

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For those unfamiliar with the legal term "blank check company" you may be more familiar with the now quite popular designation of "special purpose acquisition company" or SPAC.

Where this brings us is that biz that's being very stingy with me is hot for investor money

13/

Investors want to put money in a business that has growth potential, not one that is puffing up its earnings by cheating customers and/or abusing them to the point that class actions arise.

DISCLAIMER: Not saying this is what is happening here. Just making a general point

14/

As for bad conduct bringing class actions, it looks like Vivid Seats is no stranger

According to the Ticket News, the company was about to pay $7.5 to settle such a suit related in part to ticket refunds.

ticketnews.com/2021/03/vivid-…

15/

Look what was alleged: The "lawsuit included claims of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, negligent misrepresentation, as well as the violation of a number of state consumer protection statutes related to refunding customers for events that were cancelled."

16/

Okay. So, it's much, much bigger than me. Many customers are going to try to get refunded at get dodged and delayed. Plus investors should be put on notice.

As should the good people at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission and MA AG

17/

Okay, friends. If this seems over the top to you, keep in mind that up until now, I have always been successful in getting refunds or repairs or what have you simply by speaking nicely and persistently.

What this tells me is that . . .

18/

This whole enterprise could be troubled and I would not trust the accounting (just one gal's opinion) and where there is customer service smoke there is often accounting fraud fire. Could be. Who knows.

The end for now.

ps. I just want my refund.

19/19

Hey @retheauditors, I think you'll like this one

UPDATE: While I was tweeting, got this email. Now I wonder whether they will wait to issue the refund to make their books like better. I am going to look up what the law is in my state re timing of refunds. . . .

The end.

20/20

Hey @RadioFreeTom am I doing “crank manifesto” correctly here?

Hey @classactionld — this thread might interest you. Glad to see that you are Michigan-based. Though I live on the East Coast now, I’m always in Michigander. Here’s the cup of coffee I’m drinking from this morning.

That should say a Michigander not in Michiganander