Ticket holders singing the blues
If you’re holding onto concert tickets for a show affected by COVID-19, you might be in for disappointment and a long wait for a performance or refund.
Nearly all shows since late March and for the foreseeable future were rescheduled with only a few being canceled. Why, you may ask? By opting to reschedule, no refunds are required, which provides the artist a financial safety cushion as refund policies become more tangled during the pandemic.
In many cases, the performer already has the funds, so fans are essentially giving the artist an interest-free loan whether they like it or not. Some shows have not been rescheduled or canceled, forcing ticketholders to continue holding their tickets with no resolution in sight.
This practice has upset many ticket holders who have hundreds or thousands of dollars tied up at a time when they may need those funds to pay for more pressing needs. When a show is eventually rescheduled, even if you won’t be able to attend the new date, there is no guarantee of a refund since the ultimate decision is up to the performer, the venue, or both.
As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, the world has changed in so many ways from COVID-19 and concert tickets are yet another unforeseen casualty. Since concerts don’t lend themselves to social distancing and other virus protective measures, the rescheduled shows may not happen for quite some time.
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CELLPHONE INSURANCE: When you purchase a new phone, cellphone insurance is often pitched as a money-saving tool for the accident-prone folks who are apt to drop their gadgets.
Insuring a consumer item might not be the best way to spend your money. Sellers of this type of insurance also understand that it is a psychological decision that consumers see some things like TVs, cell phones and gaming devices as being so important that we can’t do without them. That’s why it’s at the time of purchase that the salesperson hits us up with the decision to buy insurance before something has a chance to go wrong and before we consider alternatives.
There are other less expensive options for covering your phone. AppleCare+ exclusively for iPhones, and SquareTrade, which offers protection for both Android and iPhone devices and is owed by Allstate, might be worth looking into since their monthly charges and deductibles are more attractive than the traditional major carriers’ insurance plans.
Also, there are a dozen credit cards that offer free cellphone protection when you pay your monthly bill with their card. Wells Fargo has seven cards that offer this benefit with a maximum protection coverage per incident of up to $600 and a $25 deductible.
Other cards that offer free cellphone protection include U.S. Bank and Barclay’s Uber Card. The coverage and deductibles do vary so it is best to read the fine print in your contract.
Another form of protection is to purchase a case for your phone. The Otterbox might be clunky but it offers the best protection for your smartphone in the event you drop it.
Bottom line: The best insurance might be to put a protective case on your phone and a screen protector. See if you have a credit card that offers free cellphone protection coverage.
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COLLEGE STUDENTS TARGETED: If you’re a college student or recent graduate with college debt, be careful if you get an email claiming to be from the financial department of your university. The email tells you to click on a link to get a message about your COVID-19 economic stimulus check and then asks you to log into your university account.
Don’t be fooled: This is a phishing scam. If you login using the link, you could be giving your user name, password and other personal information away to scammers and possibly downloading malware to your device. If you aren’t sure about the legitimacy of the email, contact the sender directly. You can do this by looking up their phone number or website.
If you receive one of these messages, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
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Remember: I’m on your side.
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If you’ve encountered a consumer issue that you have questions about or think our readers should know about, please send me an email at terridickersonadvocate@gmail.com or call me at 208-274-4458. As The CDA Press Consumer Gal, I’m here to help. I’m a copywriter working with businesses on marketing strategy, a columnist, and a consumer and veteran advocate living in Coeur d’Alene.