Making ticket fraud a thing of the past
9 March 2007
From the pages of the Bermuda Sun - ByMark Kennedy. March 9, 2007
Making ticket fraud a thing of the past
Eye Designz owner selling cutting-edge electronic tickets to Bermuda’s promoters
It's a problem for any event promoter: Gate-crashers who slip their way into a concert or party without paying - or the more sophisticated types who get in using bogus tickets.
Now there's a new way to drastically reduce - if not eliminate - ticket fraud.
The new cutting-edge 'Mult-E-Pass' smart card makes it easier for promoters can track tickets, control who's coming in, and also allows patrons easier access into an event.
Unlike holograms or invisible ink, the cards contain a computer chip that is virtually impossible to duplicate or tamper with.
"[The ticket] is event-specific and the information on it will only be recognized for that event only," said Ivan Outerbridge, owner of the I.D. company Eye Designz & IDTech, who introduced the technology to the island last month.
It's a first for Bermuda, but the credit card-sized ticket has been used at high-profile events like the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the Shanghai Tennis Open in 2005, and the annual Carnival event in Trinidad, Mr. Outerbridge said.
The card comes with a traditional paper ticket which can be tailored to a particular event. Patrons use the card to 'swipe in' at the entrance of the event they're attending, eliminating the need for security to check individual tickets.
Asked if ticket fraud is a problem in Bermuda, he said, "People have gotten very clever. With the technology out there, you can duplicate a [paper] ticket. That's happened with bus passes two years ago."
It can add up to a lot of lost revenue for promoters if fraudsters make and distribute, say, 100 tickets, Mr. Outerbridge said.
For occasions with more than one show or event, a single card is all that's needed to enter, he noted.
"[The cards] are more efficient than paper tickets," he said. "A season ticket holder actually owns their card, and they can use that one card at every event."
He also said the technology isn't as expensive as it may sound. The cards, which come with full-colour glossy tickets ranging from business card to invitation sizes, cost the promoter just under $1.30 per ticket, Mr. Outerbridge said.
That's competitive, considering that conventional paper tickets go for just under $1 per ticket.
Eye Designz also provides more than just a fancy ticket to event promoters: "We're selling a complete package - we program the cards for the event, provide the printed tickets and the staff and the equipment for the event," he said.
The computer chip in the ticket has other uses. The information taken from them is fed into a computer that tells promoters exactly how many tickets were sold, where event-goers purchased them, and exactly how many people attend the event. providing accurate accountablitiy.
The smart cards are already in use here for the No-Talent Talent Show next weekend, as well as the Salsa Congress taking place from March 23rd to the 25th, Mr. Outerbridge said.
He's now in the process of pitching the technology to other promoters. "I'm slowly going around to meet with production managers," he said, adding that he hopes to secure deals with BIFF and the Jazz Festival and the Island Soccer League.
"Most events don't start selling tickets until three weeks in advance," Mr. Outerbridge said. "With the security that the tickets provide, you can sell them three months in advance ... it gives promoters more time to sell out the event."
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