With Lollapalooza just days away from kicking off, one Chicagoan has a cautionary tale for those expecting tickets in the mail.
Daniel McNicholas of Lake View East said someone stole his wristband right out of the UPS envelope, before it was even delivered.
His landlord says surveillance cameras didn’t show anyone opening packages in the apartment building. Actually, his package wasn’t completely ripped open. Instead, a small hole was torn in the corner of both the exterior and interior envelopes.
McNicholas said it’s as if someone knew exactly what they were looking for and where to find it inside both envelopes.
"At first, it was like, it’s just a little nick. How much could have actually fallen out?" said McNicholas. "Then as I reached down in, it was that sinking feeling of like, yeah, it’s not in here."
UPS told NBC 5 that it’s investigating the incident.
Even though McNicholas purchased insurance, StubHub is only providing him with a credit equal to the initial wristband purchase of $306. It's not enough to cover the cost of a new ticket, days before the music festival is scheduled to begin.
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Steve Bernas, CEO and president of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, said scams and thefts skyrocket during popular events like Lollapalooza. He calls this specific mail theft unique.
"Rarely do you see a small, quarter-size hole," said Bernas. "They usually just rip the thing open and take it out as fast as possible."
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Bernas said to read the fine print on insurance policies. It doesn’t mean you won’t face a series of hurdles to get your money back.
"It’s not as easy as you think," said Bernas. "If you want to cancel or have theft, there’s always exclusions and limitations."
Watch the video above to hear the full story.
