The Washington DC Superior Court has filed a lawsuit against StubHub, accusing the company of concealing various fees from consumers until the last moment, labeling it as a “classic bait-and-switch scheme.” Ticket buyers on StubHub often face surprise fees that can increase the ticket cost by up to 40 percent, deemed as deceptive, manipulative, and unfair by Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb. The company’s practices involve displaying low prices, adding charges during the purchasing process, and creating a false sense of urgency with countdown timers. These hidden fees, attributed to vague policies, have allegedly generated over $118 million in Washington DC alone. StubHub is under fire for violating the District of Columbia’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act, prompting penalties and an injunction. The lawsuit aims to combat the rampant issue of hidden fees in the ticketing industry, parallel to federal efforts to regulate and penalize such practices.
