Seems like it’s the summer of once-in-a-lifetime concerts. If you’re still hoping to see Taylor Swift, Beyonce or some other sold-out event, don’t get scammed.
Scammers are always out there, hoping to take advantage of eagerness, ignorance or desperation. But when tickets for certain events become hard to get, the scammers come out in full force.
Several police agencies, from San Francisco to Georgia, say scammers are specifically targeting Swift fans right now since tickets to her Eras Tour are sold out at many venues. The Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker has lots of complaints filed against people or businesses who sold fake tickets to Swifties across the U.S. But I also clocked a report of someone getting scammed buying Ted Nugent tickets, so no one is safe.
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How do ticket scams work?
Scammers con buyers in several ways. They can sell fake tickets, never deliver the tickets they promised to hand over or even sell multiple people copies of one legitimate ticket. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars are at stake for people desperate to see the latest hot show or sporting event.
There are precautions to take to minimize chances that a ticket you buy could be fraudulent.
How do you buy a ticket and not get scammed?
1. Confirm the website
As in all cases of digital life, never click through to a website from emails, texts or online ads. Even sponsored links can lead to copycat, fake webpages. Best to type the address into the search bar directly, checking closely for spelling errors and that lock icon that symbolizes a secure site.
2. Verify the seller
Buy from authorized brokers and third-party sellers. You can check to see if the broker is legit by asking the venue which sellers are authorized to sell for them or check to see if they’re a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers. The organization partners with the Better Business Bureau to ensure members have a customer protection policy. Also, simply search the name of the seller along with the word “scam” to see if any negative reviews pop up.
3. Spot fake tickets
Make sure the section and seat numbers line up with the venue. Some scammers are so lazy, they input location information that simply doesn’t exist in real life. Call the venue to see which types of tickets it accepts.
If someone is attempting to sell you physical tickets, but the venue only accepts digital ones, you know it’s a fake offer. Ticketmaster is stepping up security measures to try to prevent people from making copies of digital tickets to sell to multiple people. The company says most of its mobile tickets have “unique barcodes that refresh every 15 seconds to help prevent theft or copies.”
4. Use a credit card
Be wary of any seller who asks you not to use a credit card. Most credit card companies offer protections that could come in handy. Never use wire transfer, Venmo, prepaid money or gift cards for payment.
Take a pause before you purchase and check off these guidelines for a safe, legitimate transaction. Become a professional scam spotter by following a few simple rules. If you don’t, you run the risk of never receiving the tickets at all or arriving at the venue, only to be turned away with a fake or duplicate ticket. And in most cases, you and your money are never, ever, ever getting back together. Could be one cruel summer.
