United States of America: Federal Trade Commission filed lawsuit against Key Investment Group over alleged circumvention of ticket purchase limits in violation of Better Online Ticket Sales Act

On 18 August 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Key Investment Group LLC, its affiliated entities, and executives for allegedly violating the Better Online Ticket Sales Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. According to the complaint, the defendants used unlawful methods to bypass Ticketmaster’s ticket purchase limits, including creating thousands of fake accounts, employing proxy IP addresses, virtual credit cards, and SIM boxes to evade security controls. The FTC alleged that these actions enabled the group to acquire nearly 380’ 000 tickets, which were later resold at steep markups, generating millions in revenue. The FTC is seeking a permanent injunction, civil penalties, and other relief, arguing that the scheme deprived consumers of fair access to tickets at face value. The Better Online Ticket Sales Act bans the use of software to bypass ticketing security systems or exceed purchase limits. It also prohibits reselling tickets obtained through such circumvention when the seller is aware of the violation.