Imagine buying what you thought was a legitimate ticket to see your favourite band or to attend a sporting event, which was bought well above the going price, only to discover once you got to the venue that your ticket is fake.

Reports the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will undertake legal action against ticket seller Viagogo is good news for all event patrons who have been duped by the ticket reselling company.

The ACCC is alleging that the Swiss-based company is in breach of consumer law when reselling tickets through “false and misleading conduct” that sees unavoidable fees not disclosed to prospective purchasers upfront.

Viagogo pays search engines, such as Google, to make sure its website is the first result that pops up when searching for event tickets. It also uses terminology to make buyers think that they must act on the purchase instantly. Google has been urged to crack down on such ticket resellers who are allegedly duping fans.

Earlier this year, Ed Sheeran tickets for his 2018 Australian tour sold out within minutes of becoming available, with desperate fans turning to alternative ticket sellers to attend.

One fan paid about $1400 for three tickets to attend the Sydney show and is still waiting to receive the tickets.  Viagogo has said that while the order is confirmed, tickets will be available to download no later than three days before the event, with the company notifying the seller as soon as the tickets are ready.

The practice is basically “legalised scalping,” according to AFL Fans Association spokesman Gerry Eeman, who has come out against the reseller ahead of footy finals.

Tasmanian-born event promoter Michael Chugg, who has been campaigning against the use of reselling websites, said it was good to see the issue finally on the nation’s agenda. Like Mr Eeman, Chugg said that in order to make sure fans were buying legitimate tickets, people should buy their tickets directly from authorised seller websites. It is sensible advice – and advice that must be heeded in the heat of a ticket purchasing moment.

If Viagogo continues to act in this duplicitous manner after action from the ACCC, then people power is a must. The best practice would be to stop supporting secondary ticket sites regardless of how disappointing it is not to see your favourite band or sporting team.