Months after the company was brought to its knees by a massive case of fraud, FirstDIBZ remains “in transition” and dozens, if not hundreds, of customers have not been able to withdraw money from their marketplace accounts.
The company, which bills itself as a ticket forward market, is on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars (earlier in the year, company officials put the amount at seven figures) as a result of a scam involving the sale and re-sale of “DIBZ” on Super Bowl tickets. But, many of the aggrieved customers are still waiting for payment as of this month, despite the company’s goal of trying to address the situation by the spring.
TicketNews has been contacted by customers wondering what’s going on with the company as their emails go unanswered, and they wait for their withdrawals to be processed. TicketNews’s attempt to reach FirstDIBZ officials was unsuccessful, and there has been unsubstantiated speculation that the fraud situation contributed to the layoff of some employees.
Visitors to the FirstDIBZ Web site are greeted by a splash page where the company’s parent, TTR Productions, is trying to license the software for technological backbone for the marketplace. “While the current FirstDIBZ markets are in transition, market trading has been halted,” the disclaimer reads at the bottom of the splash page.
One customer, a 31-year-old Georgia IT worker who has been waiting to withdraw more than $3,700 since April (see the image below; click on it to expand it), said he is frustrated at the lack of responses he has received from the company, echoing the sentiments of other customers. He spoke to TicketNews on a condition of anonymity because he was still trying to obtain his money.
“As I bought and sold, the money started to build up in my online ‘wallet,'” he said, adding he began trading DIBZ in the fall of 2008. “While I could not withdraw until the event was played, I had no problem placing more money in my account to use for other transactions as I figured the money in my wallet was a certainty to receive in the future.”
Like many customers, he used FirstDIBZ as an investment tool to make money. He has considered legal action against the company and was not offered the company’s agreement to sign in order to receive reparations because he made a profit from his DIBZ transactions. He was offered site credits.
In the meantime, he has filed complaints with his credit card company and received some of his money back, but he still awaits the processing of his FirstDIBZ withdrawal.
“Had I known what was to come, or had this situation happened a year earlier, FirstDibz would never have seen a dime from me,” he said.
Click on the image to expand it
Last Updated on August 5, 2009
36 Comments
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Are these any good or is everything at FirstDibz a wash at this point? Is anyone getting any answers or money out of FirstDibz?
===> Bought a few Angels and Dodgers World Series Matchup options from Firstdibz. They cancelled the options refunded the purchase price back to my account. It makes you wonder if they will ever fulfill another event since they also cancelled the MLB All Star game options.
Received the following email today:
Dear MLB Matchup Customer,
The MLB Match-ups market is closed effective today, due to the company’s reorganization. All purchases for DIBZ in this market will be refunded. Inquiries to our email support desk will be answered as time and resources permit; we are sorry for any inconvenience.
Sincerely,
The Ticket Reserve, Inc.
I think yoonew is close to being in the same boat with these idiots. I am out of there as soon as possible.
I logged into my account yesterday evening and noticed that my “Available Funds” and “Total Funds” were off by about $80 than what they have been at since the beginning of this year. I have not tried to buy or sell anything since then. I clicked on “My Money” link and noticed that two debits and two credits for refund had occurred at some point yesterday which equals the $80 difference. Looks like something is going on…anybody else notice similar activity with their accounts?
Did you have World Series or Super Bowl 44 Dibz, or had sold them in the past. They closed the markets, and refunded everyone’s money.
Yep, had Super Bowl dibz and sold them earlier in the year. That explains it. Thanks.
Dibz, uh i mean, team ticket reservations are selling for over $500 for Texas, $300 for Florida, and I’m sure Alabama’s will escalate also. I can’t believe this company is still allowed to do business after last season when they still owe so many people so much money. Anybody know what is going on?
This is done somehow through the Tournament of Roses site.
I got my tickets to the World Series in 2009.
I got my tickets to the World Series in 2009.
I’m still owed over $700 for a Withdrawal that I requested two months ago and have seen no repsonse other than a form letter.
Anyone know if we can all get together to file another class action suit against them for withholding money that is not theirs?
I’d email Rick Harmon ([email protected]) directly… I’m sure he would love to hear from you
I emailed him…not that I expect to hear anything back. I’ll give it another few weeks then I’m going to take more action.
Contact Andrew Sciolla at (610) 941-4204 (ext. 105) or [email protected]
He is representing the customers that would be part of any settlement or class action and is in discussion with First Dibz’s counsel.
When I log into my account, I see that dibz appear to be selling for some college football teams (Florida and Texas), but when I go to their specific page, it says markets to open soon and no dibz to sell or buy are posted. I am seeing these transactions on the Watch List I had set up when FirstDIBZ initially opened the dibz markets for this college football season.
Anybody know what is going on?
When I log into my account, I see that dibz appear to be selling for some college football teams (Florida and Texas), but when I go to their specific page, it says markets to open soon and no dibz to sell or buy are posted. I am seeing these transactions on the Watch List I had set up when FirstDIBZ initially opened the dibz markets for this college football season.
Anybody know what is going on?
It looks like the Rose Bowl are selling these dibz as if firstdibz has sold them the rights to this or something. I don’t know what’s up with that.
OptionIt has real relationships with teams… I’m taking my business there because i know they can back everything
Yoonew is the best place to go to get futures, they only charge one price and if your team makes it you don’t have to pay face value, you just get the tickets at no extra cost.
ummm yea 4 teams…2 of them suck
These clowns better pay up soon.
How do you get on a class action suite?
I think they sould make these companies have the tickets to guarantee the process I am going to get burned on 1650 bucks.
I just want my money. Thats all.
You have not been watching the courts. Us getting paid aside, and their obvious inability to spot danger in online markets aside, the one aspect of FirstDIBZ that warrants recognition is their IP protectionist –Yoonews is about to loose in US Circuit Court 214. As a lawyer and a sad particpant in FirstDIBZ markets, I have been watching this case. Even Yoonews admits this. They has been for sale at firesale prices for at least a year. No new employees. A lot fewer employees. No new development. They are a shell game for the ticket company that owns them in NYC. If you do not believe me –call them. I did. The only real hope we have is if FirstDIBZ can “restructure”, pay up, and open their markets again before the season starts (college football -my game).
I don’t think the site allows you to undo withdrawals. I’d put the odds of getting that money at about 1%. What galls me is the fact that they’re allowed to get new money while they still owe lots of customers.
Also, I knew from the beginning that the “seven figures” claim was bogus. They should have taken the hit and made things right, but instead, they chose this path. Numerous chargebacks, the loss of many longtime customers, creating a general lack of faith in their business practices. I’d love to ask Rick Harmon and the company’s officers if it was really worth it.
I have been using yoonew for almost a year and have never had a problem. I got NBA finals tickets from them very cheap. I also bought some World Series tickets and plan on attending that if my team makes it.
Where can you look up the courtcase online?
I am still waiting on $thousands from my “wallet” account, since Feb. I put the probability at 10% that I’ll see anything.
Here is a idea…what if I undo the withdrawal and use the funds to buy more options. Just start trading again, maybe make money, maybe buy some face value tickets with wallet funds, go to games or flip tickets. I’m starting to think this is better than waiting for potentially nothing.
Any thoughts?
and the other two stink
Hi,
So then does anyone believe that this particular issue with First Dibz is worth any sort of legal action? I mean, they are technically in breach of contract with all of us who signed their contracts, right?
There already are class-action law-suits. Perhaps you can get in on it… In the meantime, I’ve learned my lesson and am only buying through sites that have official team relationships (while limited, only http://www.optionit.com has this policy)
This is bogus, where is the class-action suit status?
Firstdibz just need to sell the company and technology and pay back customers.
i’m sure stubhub or ticketmaster would buy them for a few million
Yoonew is just as bad of a joke. They shut down for a while and didn’t have any bids for ticket contracts so it was impossible to sell. Plus they stopped allowing deposits so people couldn’t even add money and post bids on contracts. They are about to go under too, mostly everyone who was on yoonew, myself included, has recovered as much money as we can and bailed.
I received a check from yoonew this month and also received all my NBA tickets so I wouldn’t put them in the same category as firstdibz who has been holding my money for over 7 months now.