The University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium has been the target of an alleged overseas online ticket resale scheme, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. 

Nessel's office is investigating Pure Tonic Marketing Ltd., an overseas company that prosecutors believe is based in Seychelles, and the unknown operator of Ticket Squeeze. 

Prosecutors allege that Pure Tonic operated the website, thehillauditorium.com, which, while appearing to be affiliated with the university's venue, is not. The alleged scam website reportedly advertised tickets for upcoming events at Hill Auditorium and redirected users to ticketsqueeze.com, where Nessel alleges that tickets were sold at "grossly excessive prices," while appearing to be at "cheaper" or "low" rates.

University Musical Society, a nonprofit performing arts presenter affiliated with the university, first filed a complaint with Nessel's office. The nonprofit hosts performances at Hill Auditorium and sells tickets on its official website. 

In one instance, a customer, believing they were buying tickets from an official outlet, paid $1,263.95 for two tickets to a Berlin Philharmonic concert through the website, officials said. Those same tickets were reportedly listed for $175 apiece through the official University Musical Society website. 

Nessel says that while Hill Auditorium is the focus of the initial complaint, other venues may have been targeted by the alleged scheme. 

"Misleading customers into thinking they are purchasing tickets from a trusted source, while charging them excessively high prices is unlawful," said Nessel in a statement. "I appreciate the University Musical Society for bringing this matter to our attention. My office will continue to investigate and pursue bad actors to protect Michigan consumers from this kind of exploitation."

Sara Billmann, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the University Musical Society, says the rise of ticket resellers purchasing tickets "solely for the purpose of making money off of unsuspecting customers has been a scourge in the performing arts industry." 

"In addition to the direct harm caused to customers by predatory secondary market pricing and absurdly high fees, nonprofit arts organizations are also seriously impacted, both financially and reputationally," Billmann said. "We are grateful to the Attorney General's office for taking these complaints seriously and for working so hard to protect consumers."

The attorney general's office says that while the university won a domain dispute against Pure Tonic in 2024, which forces thehillauditorium.com to redirect to the University Musical Society's official site, another website has sprouted up and is allegedly conducting the same practice. 

Nessel offers the following tips for consumers when buying tickets online: 

• Know the vendor: Consumers are encouraged to make sure they are buying from a reputable website, especially before providing any personal financial information. Anyone can set up a "spoof" website with a web address that is similar to the legitimate ticket seller's address. 
• Conduct research: Consumers unfamiliar with a particular ticket vendor can call the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team at 877-765-8388 and ask if we have any complaints on file regarding that seller. Remember, however, that the absence of filed complaints does not guarantee a seller's legitimacy; it simply means that the Consumer Protection Team has not received any complaints concerning the vendor. 
• Use credit: If purchasing tickets online, especially via an online auction site, it is recommended that consumers complete their transaction using a credit card. Purchasing tickets with a credit card often provides consumers with protections that they would not otherwise have if they purchased the tickets using cash, check, or apps like Venmo and Cash App. 
• Shop securely: If a website begins with "https," the "s" indicates that the website is "secure." Typically, the "s" will not appear in the web address until consumers access the order page of the site where they are asked to enter their personal information. Another indicator of a secure website is a graphic of a closed lock located at the bottom of the screen. 

If you believe you are a victim of an online ticket scam, you're urged to reach out to Michigan's Consumer Protection Team at 517-335-7599. You can also fill out an online complaint form.