The Federal Trade Commission has filed lawsuits against StubHub and Vivid Seats alleging that both platforms continue to obscure total ticket prices through mandatory fees that are only revealed at checkout, violating the agency's new Junk Fees Rule.
Allegations
The FTC's complaints document systematic practices designed to display artificially low prices to attract consumers before adding substantial fees during the purchase process.
- Average hidden fees add 28-35% to the displayed ticket price
- "Service fees," "order processing fees," and "facility charges" are added sequentially at checkout
- FTC testing found that 67% of consumers would not have initiated a purchase at the true total price
Potential Penalties
The Junk Fees Rule, which took effect in January 2026, allows the FTC to seek penalties of up to $50,000 per violation. With millions of transactions at stake, total liability could reach billions of dollars. Both companies have stated they comply with the rule and will defend vigorously.
