BBB warning: Make sure those secondary market event tickets are real before you buy

Guest Editorial by the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York

Now that many venues in upstate New York are adding proof of COVID-19 vaccination rules to enter, tickets are popping up for sale on the secondary marketplace for events. Scammers are likely to try to take advantage of the ever-changing rules to trick people out of money by selling fake tickets.

How do you know if the tickets are real, or fake?

Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York has the following tips for those looking to buy tickets to a concert, sporting event, or any other event:

√ Purchase from the venue whenever possible. Many official ticket sales agents now offer secondary sales options, as well.

√ Know the ticket delivery system. Is it a digital ticket, or paper? If you are unsure, call the venue to ask. Knowing this ahead of time could save you a lot of headaches and money down the road.

√ 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.

√ Be wary of advertisements. When you search the web for online tickets, advertisements for cheap tickets will often appear. Use good judgment; some of these ads are going to be ticket scams, especially if the prices are low.

√ 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, or look up the seller on VerifiedTicketSource.com to confirm you are buying from a NATB-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 from emails or online ads; a common ticket scam trick is to create a web address that is similar to a well-known company.

√ Know the refund policy. You should only purchase tickets from a ticket reseller that provides clear details about the terms of the transaction. Sellers should disclose to the purchaser, prior to purchase, the location of the seats represented by the tickets, either orally or by reference to a seating chart; and, if the tickets are not available for immediate access to the purchaser, disclose when the tickets will ship or be available for pick up.

√ 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 won’t be able to get your money back.