PA Attorney General Warns Of College Football Bowl Game Ticket, Travel Package Scams

Pennsylvania Attorney General Bruce Beemer is warning Pennsylvanians of potential scams surrounding upcoming college football bowl game tickets and offered tips to avoid getting the wool pulled over your eyes.

Two Keystone State football powerhouses will be playing in bowl games in the coming weeks, with Pittsburgh playing in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Northwester University on Dec. 28 in New York City and Penn State playing USC in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2 in Pasadena, Calif.

The Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection has previously received complaints from the public concerning underhanded ticket sellers, questionable travel packages and counterfeit tickets, the AG's office said.

"Fan enthusiasm can serve as a good cover for con artists who are trying to take advantage of consumers for financial gain,” Beemer said in a statement. “It is important for people to know the pitfalls to avoid when purchasing tickets to sporting events."

Check out these tips from the Bureau of Consumer Protection to avoid ticket-related scams:

• Purchase tickets from a reputable seller.
• Never wire-transfer money to individuals you do not know.
• Make sure the location of your seats corresponds with actual seat numbers, rows and sections in the stadium.
• Understand the terms and conditions of the sale when purchasing tickets online or from ticket brokers.
• Consider using a credit card to pay for tickets (You can dispute charges on a credit card if the tickets are not delivered or turn out to be counterfeit).

The AG's office also offered tips for people looking at travel packages to attend bowl games.

Consumers should also use these tips when purchasing a travel package:

• Pay particular attention to what the travel package does and does not offer (Do not assume that every package includes airfare, hotel accommodations and tickets to the game).
• Get all the offers, terms and conditions of your package in writing, including the cancellation policy, in the event that you are unable to make the trip.
• Research the hotel and its location. In some instances, consumers have been told that their hotel is within walking distance to the venue, when in reality it was too far to walk and required additional expenses to either rent a car or pay for other ground transportation.
• Do not use cash or wire-transfer money.
• Be wary of unknown and private sellers who refuse to provide you with verifiable contact information.
• Be cautious of travel packages that appear to be extremely cheap or extremely expensive.

Anyone looking to file a complaint or report illegal activity with Rose Bowl ticket sales is encouraged to call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or file a complaint online the Attorney General's website.

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