Consumer Fraud Task Force Warns Of Ticket Scammers

Whenever a big-name entertainer, band or high-stakes athletic event comes to town, the ticket scalpers seem to ride in on their coattails.

Recently, area residents have lost significant sums of money when they paid for tickets to upcoming events only to find that the tickets they got were counterfeit – if they ever got the tickets at all.

Some fraudulent ticket sellers use classified ad sites like Craigslist to hawk their bogus tickets. At other times, the ticket sellers stand outside the events, hoping to sell their wares to unsuspecting fans hoping to get tickets to a sold-out event.

The Consumer Fraud Task Force issued a warning about bogus tickets today. The Better Business Bureau is a member of the task force, which for the last decade has brought together law enforcement and consumer agencies for the purpose of sharing information on common scams and other fraud they want to stamp out.

The task force offers several tips for anyone seeking tickets to popular events:

• Try to buy tickets directly from the venue, promoter or authorized ticket sellers, either online or at the box office.
• If you must buy on the secondary market, try to buy from a reseller authorized by the original ticket seller, the venue or the promoter.  If that isn’t possible, buy from a business or individual you know and trust.
• Be especially cautious of buying from strangers on online sites or outside the venue prior to an event.
• Pay with a credit card whenever possible in case you need to challenge the charge in the future.
• Never wire money or use pre-loaded cards to purchase tickets. Sellers who demand those payment methods usually are trying to steal your money.
• Examine your tickets closely before the event.  Look for signs the tickets have been copied or otherwise faked.
• Contact the BBB for a Business Review of the company.  Information on companies may be obtained by going to www.bbb.org or by calling 314-645-3300.

For more news on consumer fraud and tips to avoid it, visit the BBB website or follow the BBB on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.