Score legit merchandise, lodging during NFL draft
If you ordered that $200 NFL jersey for $19.99, chances are good you got scammed.
Fake merchandise, non-existent rentals and bogus VIP tickets are among the potentially fraudulent pitfalls for football fans attending the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh on April 23-25.
“With up to 700,000 fans being drawn to the city, popular events like the NFL draft can create an opportunity for scammers to take advantage of visitors, as well as local NFL enthusiasts,” said Caitlin Driscoll, public relations director of the Better Business Bureau of Western PA.
Counterfeit sports merchandise is big business, according to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. Ahead of this year’s Super Bowl, federal law enforcement seized nearly 277,000 pieces of fake team gear valued at $33.4 million, according to a release from the center.
Online retailers take a big cut of that, said IPR Center Director Ivan J. Arvelo.
“It’s easier than ever for criminals to set up fake websites and social media ads targeting sports fans with counterfeit goods that put their wallets and personal information at risk,” Arvelo said.
Driscoll said it’s important to look closely at a website before deciding to enter your card number – especially for companies you’re not familiar with. Search the name of the company and the word “scam” to see what comes up, look for customer reviews and see how long the retailer has been in business, she said.
If all of those things check out, said Driscoll, look at the web address at the top of the page before you enter a credit card number and click buy. It should start with “https,” not “http.”
The former of those provides heightened security during checkout because it uses encryption to protect data, Driscoll said.
Fans shopping in person can look for two things to help them assess whether they’re buying authentic NFL gear. The official merchandise has a multi-colored hologram on the tag, and high quality interior stitching, according to the IPR.
Football fans should also watch out for ticket scams, said Driscoll.
“The draft itself is free to attend,” she said.
The NFL does offer some paid packages that include access to special lounges or entrances, but those are only available at www.nfl.com/draft/event-info/registration.
That means the social media ads, emails and texts promising VIP-worthy access are more scammers trying to part you and your hard-earned money.
Thinking of renting a place closer to the ‘Burgh to avoid congested traffic? Be careful, Driscoll said.
The property may not actually exist, or may not be for rent in the first place. That goes for both social media-advertised rentals and the well-known rental companies.
Platforms like Airbnb, Verbo, Booking.com and Vacasa are typically good at screening out scam properties, “but sometimes a scammer slips in,” Driscoll said.
Verifying the property address via a Google search is an important step.
“They may use well-known street names, but the actual (house) number doesn’t exist,” said Driscoll.
If the address checks out, and the person renting out the home wants you to book outside of a rental platform, think twice. Protections provided by larger platforms may be negated if that happens.
Be it draft merch, tickets or lodging, avoid paying with apps that are attached to your bank account. Banks, said Driscoll, typically have a finite amount of time to dispute a change. Credit cards companies offer a little more leeway to customers.
“It’s generally the most safe method of payment,” she said.