A Chattanooga resident recently reported to Better Business Bureau’s team that she was scammed after spending over $600 on “Mamma Mia!” tickets for next year — only to find out the real tickets aren’t on sale yet. Thankfully, she used a credit card and is working to dispute the charge.
Unfortunately, this scenario is becoming more and more common — and extends to sporting events as well. Scoring valid tickets to popular events can be a true challenge.
BBBs have fielded many reports on BBB Scam Tracker from sports and music enthusiasts who were sidelined with fake tickets or bad transactions like our local resident. With more venues switching to digital tickets, the risk of duplicates and fraudulent sales has grown as well, making it even trickier to ensure your spot at a big game or concert.
To combat this, your BBB recommends taking steps to ensure you’re searching for and purchasing tickets from trustworthy sources. BBB and the National Association of Ticket Brokers have teamed up to raise awareness and educate fans about the smartest ways to buy tickets on the secondary resale market.
Here’s what to consider when seeking tickets for a game, concert, or any other event:
— Purchase directly 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. Association members offer a 200% purchase guarantee on tickets. Look up the seller on verifiedticketsource.com to confirm you are buying from an association-member 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 emails or online ads; a common ticket scam trick is to create a web address that is similar to a well-known company. Carefully type in the authentic website you want to visit to help avoid clicking on an impostor site.
— Know the refund policy and delivery details. You should only purchase tickets from a ticket reseller that provides clear details about the terms of the transaction. Those details should be shared before the purchase is made and should include information such as the company’s refund policy, the location of the seats represented by the tickets, how the tickets will be delivered and when the tickets will be available for pickup or download.
— 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 transfers, or cash transactions are risky. If the tickets are fraudulent, you most likely 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. Carefully check out any opportunities you’re considering and use good judgment. Consider a low price for a very high-in-demand event to be a big red flag.
— 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 (or customer service), and they can verify if your ticket is legitimate and can show you how to tell if it is fake.
Gary Adler, Executive Director and Counsel for the National Association of Ticket Brokers, offers some additional advice. He recommends that people download their tickets to a digital wallet before the event. With large crowds outside the stadium or venue, cell phone service may be spotty, making it harder to access your ticket.
Like scammers found a way into the paper ticket arena, Adler says they will do what they can to get into the digital ticket game.
“When it is worthwhile, there will be people who try to do that, which is why I go back, whether you are dealing with digital or any ticket to make sure you buy from someone you will have some recourse with,” he said. “The members of our association are professional resellers. They are in the business of doing things right.
“Think about it — you are not going to be a professional reseller if you do not deliver what you promise or take care of customers. If in the event there is some issue, if you have bought from a reputable reseller member of our association, you will have some recourse. Always go back to making sure you do your homework and make sure you know who you are buying from.”
BBB’s offers a sports and leisure HQ site with additional resources and tips related to sporting events, including what to know when buying from online ticket resellers.
SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMS
Hurricane Melissa stormed through the Caribbean with some of the strongest winds on record, and as residents in Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba and other areas deal with the aftermath, many of us want to support victims and relief efforts.
In times like these, acts of kindness make a difference. We have many tips to help you identify and support trusted Hurricane Melissa relief efforts on BBB Wise Giving Alliance’s website at give.org. This includes a list of national charities that have been vetted against Wise Giving’s 20 standards of charitable accountability and are in a position to serve storm victims.
If you have any questions about charitable promotions to support hurricane victims, our team is happy to help! You can reach us at 423-266-6144 or tngabbb@chattanooga.bbb.org.
Michele Mason is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.