Canadians desperate to see former U.S. president Barack Obama speak in Montreal were asked to pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket to the sold-out event.
Online ticket resellers and marketplaces like Kijiji and Craigslist sold tickets at prices several times higher than face value for the speech at the Montreal Chamber of Commerce.
Tickets originally went on sale May 13 through Evenko, with prices ranging from $57 to $373. They sold out before the end of the day, but many soon reappeared on ticket resellers at much higher prices. Individual tickets are listed at prices from $180-$750 on Kijiji, and from $275-$1,100 on Craigslist. Meanwhile, ticket reseller StubHub was offering seats from $254.50-$875.25.
The Montreal Chamber of Commerce posted a warning on its website after tickets sold out, cautioning people about the dangers of buying tickets from "unofficial sources."
"They could be duplicated or forged and do not guarantee access to the event," the Chamber of Commerce website says.
Obama's speech marked his first appearance in Canada since leaving the White House.
