Fans should be aware of ticket scams in playoff season
Sports is all about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, but the thrill a fan feels when they think they’ve snagged a ticket to a playoff game can quickly turn to agony when they discover they’ve been taken in by a scam.
With both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA tournament mix, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday and his office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection are issuing a warning to be on the lookout for both fraudulent tickets sellers and peddlers of fake merchandise during playoff season.
“There’s nothing like the excitement of the NHL and NBA Playoffs and fans of the 76ers, the Flyers and the Penguins are ready to support their teams like they always do,” Sunday said in a news release. However, he added, “Scammers will take advantage of high-demand sports matchups by selling fake tickets and merchandise.”
The Bureau of Consumer Protection is urging fans to follow this advice when it comes to playoff tickets and goods:
-Don’t click on banner ads or pop-ups on legitimate websites that take you to a third-party website. The protections and guarantees of a legitimate website are gone once you enter the realm of third-party sites.
-Review your cart before checking out to make sure unexpected fees have not been added to the purchase.
-Websites that are not reputable will ramp up advertising before big events, so potential buyers should be cautious when using search engines to find ticket sellers.
-Don’t buy tickets from someone you have not met, and purchase any tickets in a safe, well-lit area.
-Be wary of sellers asking for payment in gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or money orders.
-As the old adage has it, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And that is particularly true when it comes to travel packages that offer airfare, hotel stays and tickets at unusually low prices.
-If you have made an unfulfilled purchase with a credit card, contact the credit card company and dispute the charge.
Anyone in Pennsylvania who believes they’ve been the victim of a scam when it comes to tickets, travel or merchandise can file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by going to www.attorneygeneral.gov, by calling 800-441-2555 or by sending an email message to scams@attorneygeneral.gov.