BBB says look before you buy tickets to Sunday's sold-out Bills game

With the continued excitement of a new coach, new quarterback and several new players, Buffalo Bills fans wasted no time buying up season and single tickets, passing the 60,000 season ticket sales mark for the first time in franchise history.

Still looking to go to Sunday's home opener against the Indianapolis Colts? If you're looking for tickets online or on game day, Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York says start with trust before you buy. You can find tickets - often at sky-high prices - online, but BBB experience shows some tickets may turn out to be fraudulent.

"Buying on the secondary market can be useful for non-season-ticketholders, occasional fans, or those making a last-minute decision to head to the Ralph," said Warren Clark, president of BBB of Upstate New York. "There are legitimate ticket brokers out there, but there are also scammers. BBB wants everyone buying a ticket this way to make sure that ticket is, in fact, real."

Several people will go online to purchase tickets. Check out online ticket brokers at bbb.org. The Buffalo Bills do not allow ticket sales within 1,500 feet of the stadium. Also, all ticket resellers must be licensed by New York state.

According to AARP, nearly 5 million people a year pay for tickets to concerts, sporting events and theme parks that prove to be fakes. But how can fans make sure the tickets they buy are legitimate? BBB offers the following tips for safe ticket purchases:

•Check out the seller/broker. The official ticket broker of the NFL is Ticketmaster. If you are concerned about another entity, you can look it up at bbb.org and then check to see if it is a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers. NATB members offer a 200 percent guarantee on tickets that don't arrive in time for a game, concert or show.

•Know the difference between a ticket broker (legitimate and accredited reseller) and a ticket scalper (unregulated and unlicensed ticket seller).

•Check the ticket broker's refund policy. Only buy from a ticket reseller that provides clear details about the terms of the transaction.

•Always use a credit card so you have some recourse; do not use cash.

•Check the seats out ahead of time. Always ask for section, row and seat number to make sure the seats actually exist. Also, feel free to ask questions to make certain you get all the answers you need to feel comfortable with your ticket purchase.

If you believe you have purchased a counterfeit ticket, immediately report it to the NATB's hotline at 630-510-4594 and file a complaint at bbb.org.

For real time scam information, check out BBB's "Scam Tracker."