Web tix broker: long run of hits -- but now error

Sox seats buyer strikes out as coupon code glitch costs him $35 -- until firm steps up to the plate

Dear Fixer: I purchased two tickets to a White Sox game through Onlineseats.com on Sept. 9. I have used this broker close to 50 times over the past three years and have had good experiences. As the name implies, I ordered my seats via their Web site. Any time an order is placed, this particular broker gives a discount code for either 10 percent or $35 off the next order.

I placed my order and used the discount code to get $35 off the ticket price. The discount was applied on the computer screen. I then clicked to place my order, and after doing so, the next screen was my order confirmation. However, something went wrong and the $35 was not taken off the total price.

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Stephanie Zimmermann

I immediately called Onlineseats.com and spoke to a customer service representative. He told me that unfortunately there was nothing they could do.

So I called my credit card company to try to delete the transaction, but they said it could not be deleted. They would not let me file a dispute.

The rep did, however, connect me to TicketNetworkDirect, the provider who actually sent me the tickets for my order. A customer service representative there told me there was nothing they could do.

I asked the rep at TicketNetwork to justify not giving me the discount when the code I used was valid. She had no answer. I asked if I could speak to a supervisor, but when they put me through, I was only able to leave a voice mail message. I have not received a call back.

Robert Guzzetti, Palatine

Dear Robert: Team Fixer is a big fan of online coupon codes. (We never hit the "order" button without first googling the name of the merchant and the phrase "coupon code" to get the best deals.) Too bad for you the computer gods weren't cooperating that day.

The good news is this got fixed in a hurry.

First, we contacted David Jacobs, who we thought was the owner of Onlineseats.com. Turns out he sold the company at the end of July, but he promptly apologized for the problem you had with the provider, TicketNetwork. He promised to contact the new owner of Onlineseats.com.

A short time later, you heard from Larry Bernstein, chief information officer for the new owner, saying he'd already put a check in the mail for the discount you were supposed to get. (Thanks, guys, for handling that so quickly.)

Dear Fixer: I read your column all the time, and thankfully, have never needed your help. However, I wanted to inform you of a scam that (almost) happened to me.

I have been selling a lot of items on eBay recently, and of course that means a lot of money transfers to my PayPal account.

Just yesterday, I received an official looking e-mail from PayPal security. It was in my spam file (my first warning), but I was trying to do a million things at one time, and I opened it. It said that someone had tried to wire money from my bank account using a fraudulent charge card, and I needed to log into my PayPal account or risk having my account closed.

I clicked on the link, and it took me to a very official-looking PayPal site. After I logged in with my e-mail address and password, it asked me to verify my bank account numbers, my address and my charge card numbers, along with the security number from the back! At this point I became suspicious. I immediately called PayPal, and they told me that any e-mail from them would have had "service@paypal.com" as the origination address.

After hanging up, I realized I had used my password to log into the phony account. So I quickly changed my PayPal and eBay passwords.

So far my money is safe, and I believe I dodged this bullet. But as a reminder, if an e-mail is in your spam folder, it's there for a reason, and as you have told us time and time again, any company that asks for vital information is usually a fraud.

Just wanted to say thanks for all you've done for everyone and tell you about this scam.

David Emmerling, Antioch

Dear David: Well, thank you for sharing this. One of the best things about writing this column is seeing all the ways in which readers look out for one another.

We're going to put this in The Fixer's Tip Jar at www.suntimes.com. (For those readers not familiar with the Tip Jar, it's an online compilation of readers' advice about how to avoid ripoffs and save money. You can add your own tips by going to www. suntimes.com/news/zimmermann, find "The Tip Jar" in the left-hand column and click on "Share a tip."

Getting the runaround over a consumer problem? Tell it to The Fixer, at www .suntimes.com.