Compare your new Ticketmaster tickets with an old Ticketmaster ticket--one that was issued in the past six months or less, that you or someone you know had used successfully in the past. Check to see if yours contains all the same information the older one does: seat information, section, restrictions, possible discounts and compare the font and size of the text and the logos. An authentic Ticketmaster ticket is also made up of high-quality, thin cardboard with textured areas and logos.
Look closely at your ticket. Does the word "Ticketmaster," repeated over and over again, make up the thin, light blue rectangle that outlined the large white rectangle that contains the name of the artist or event in the middle of the ticket? If there is no colored border around the name of the artist or event, or if the border is filled in, the ticket is fake.
Take a UV mini light and shine it over both sides of the ticket. Often, you can see hidden markings. This ensures the ticket is authentic. Take note as such markings do not always appear on authentic tickets, so this method is not the most reliable one to use.
Scratch across the front of the ticket with your fingernail or with a button. If the markings smudge, the ticket is fake.
Look at the back of the ticket. Does it have promotional information? The latest Ticketmaster tickets feature Citysearch data. If it is blank, the ticket is fake.
Take your ticket to a Ticketmaster counter and have the clerk scan the bar code to ensure it comes up on the company's computer system.