World Series Ticket Scams Prompt Warning In Fairfax County

FAIRFAX, VA — Before you buy a ticket to the World Series, Fairfax County Police are urging fans to be on the lookout for scams. Police advise caution when buying tickets from any source other than Major League Baseball or authorized dealers, which includes StubHub.

"Detectives are investigating an increasing number of online and phone scams involving the sale of World Series tickets," reads a statement from Fairfax County Police.

Specific information on the scams was not released. Fairfax County residents who believe they may have been scammed can file a report online or call 703-691-2131.

According to the Better Business Bureau, scammers try to trick fans into buying fake tickets for major events. In 2018, the bureau received almost 400 reports of ticket scams.

Here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau on purchasing World Series tickets:

• Purchase from the venue whenever possible. Many official ticket sales agents now offer secondary sales options, as well.
• Consider your source. Know the difference between a professional ticket broker (a legitimate and accredited reseller), a ticket scalper (an unregulated and unlicensed ticket seller), and a scammer selling scam tickets.
• Check out the seller/broker. Look them up on bbb.org to learn what other customers have experienced. Check to see if they are a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers, which offers a 200 percent purchase guarantee on tickets. Look up the seller on VerifiedTicketSource.com to confirm it's a National Association of Ticket Brokers resale company.
• Buy only from trusted vendors. Buy online only from vendors you know and trust. Look for the lock symbol in the web address to indicate a secure purchasing system. Don’t click through from emails or online ads; a common ticket scam trick is to create a web address that is similar to a well-known company.
• Know the refund policy. You should only purchase tickets from a ticket reseller that provides clear details about the terms of the transaction. Before purchase, sellers should disclose to the purchaser the location of the seats represented by the tickets. If the tickets are not available for immediate access to the purchaser, disclose when the tickets will ship or be available for pick up.
• Use payment methods that come with protection. Always use a credit card so you have some recourse if the tickets are not as promised. Debit cards, wire transfer or cash transactions are risky; if the tickets are fraudulent, you won’t be able to get your money back.
• Be wary of advertisements. When you search the web for online tickets, advertisements for cheap tickets will often appear. Use good judgment; some of these ads are going to be ticket scams, especially if the prices are low.
• If you’re unsure, verify your tickets. Pay a visit to the arena where the event will be held. Present your ticket to “Will Call” (customer service) and they can verify if your ticket is legitimate and show you how to tell if a ticket is fake.

The Nationals took a 2-0 lead in the series against the Houston Astros. The team returns to DC for Games 3, 4 and 5. Game 3 starts at 8:07 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25. All games are broadcast on Fox.

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