Imagine this – you really want to go and see your favourite band in concert but tickets now appear to be sold out. Where would you look to track down that hard-to-find concert tickets? Some people may say, online classified sites such as Craigslist. Would you do the same? Well, there are some things you may want to consider before purchasing tickets on online classified sites.
Granted, not all people who are selling their tickets online are trying to scam you but it is important to be careful.
What is a “classified ticket scam”?
Here is how it typically works – you decide to buy tickets through an online classified site. You meet up with a seller, make a payment and get your tickets. You are so excited about the big show and get to the concert but tragically, you get turned away at the door because your tickets are counterfeit.
Warning signs that it may be a scam…
- Low price – If you find someone selling tickets to a popular event for much less than what’s offered elsewhere, you may want to stay away from the deal.
- Wire transfer request – never wire money to a stranger. Money transfers are hard to trace and once the money is gone, you might never see your money again.
- E-tickets – some scammers authentically purchase a ticket and resell the e-ticket numerous times to many buyers. Always ask to meet in person and somewhere public.
- Any deals that seem too good to be true – they usually are!
We’ve listed these tips but remember, even if you follow them, you are not guaranteed to have authentic tickets so please use your when purchasing tickets from online classified sites. Want to eliminate any risk? One way to be safe from this scam is to buy your tickets from an authorized dealer.
Extra tip:
Whatever way you choose to purchase tickets, once you get them in your hands, it’s pretty exciting…we know, but do NOT take pictures of your tickets and post them on social media sites. Scammers might grab your ticket information and duplicate counterfeit tickets. Avoid heartaches by keeping your tickets away from social media sites.
What could I do if I become a victim of a classified ticket scam?
Call the local police or RCMP to report the scam. You can also report it to the Canadian Fraud Centre by visiting their “Report an Incident” page.
We hope this information was helpful. If you have any other tips that you found useful when buying show/event tickets online, please share them in the comments section of our blog.