Scambook’s advice was featured last month in a Forbes SportsMoney article, Last Minute Guide To Super Bowl XLVII.
Sports writer Alana Glass offered some valuable info for football fans ahead of last season’s big 49ers versus Ravens game, including Scambook’s tips on how to buy sold-out tickets without getting scammed.
While Super Bowl XLVII may be a distant memory for some, it won’t be the last time diehard fans scramble to find sold-out tickets (March Madness, anyone?). Our ticket buying safety tips are good rules to follow for any event.
Whether you’re trying to score a seat at the next big game or get a weekend Coachella pass, follow Scambook’s safeguards to avoid getting burned by fake tickets.
Looking for Sold-Out Tickets on Craigslist?
The top tip? “Fans [should] stick to authorized resellers like StubHub and eBay, which have safeguards to protect consumers against fraud. StubHub guarantees orders by replacing any tickets that turn out to be counterfeit or refunding the buyer’s money,” Kase Chong, Scambook’s Director of Marketing, told Glass.
If you’re trying to get tickets on Craigslist or thinking about going to a scalper, be careful. Check out our 5 ticket-buying safety tips reprinted by Forbes SportsMoney:
1. Ask yourself if it is too good to be true. Look out for red flags such as the ticket price being extremely low compared to the average price on other listings. Any elaborate, emotional story explaining why the seller cannot attend the game is another common sign.
2. Do not pay via Western Union or money order. There are no buyer protections using wire transfers or payment methods like money orders and cashier’s checks. If you send your money via Western Union, you won’t be able to get it back if the seller turns out to be a scammer.
3. Examine the tickets carefully before money changes hands. Legitimate event tickets are printed on stiff, glossy paper. Examine the barcode to see if it has been tampered with and look for other suspicious signs like ragged edges, smudged printing, official logos that do not look right, misspelled words or wrong event details.
4. Never buy e-Tickets. Similarly, never buy electronic tickets that are emailed to you or printed out. E-Tickets are easy to counterfeit, or scammers can print and sell multiple copies.
5. Do not give the seller more personal information than necessary. Someone selling tickets on Craigslist has no need to know any of your sensitive personal information.
Don’t let your passion for the team or the band blind you to possible red flags. If there’s anything worse than missing out on the season’s hot event, it’s missing out and losing your money to a scammer.
“If you cannot score tickets to the big game,” writes Glass, “Stay home and watch it with [millions] of your closest friends.”
How Do You Buy Tickets?
What do you think of Alana Glass’ article? Where do you buy tickets for sold-out events? Share your sports, live theater and concert-going stories in the comments.
See Also
Over $1 Billion in Damages Reported on Scambook
Scambook Leading the Fight for Consumer Justice in Los Angeles
Scambook on Fox News: “Online Platform Obtaining Justice for Consumers”
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