Attorney General Chris Carr is warning Atlanta Braves fans to look out for ticket scams ahead of this week’s World Series games. Major sporting events present an opportunity for scammers to exploit consumers through the sale of fake, void or stolen tickets on the secondary market. Ticket scams not only pose a risk for financial theft, but consumers may also fall victim to identity theft if both financial and personal information is provided as part of the transaction.
“With our Atlanta Braves bound for the World Series for the first time since 1999, we urge all of our fans who are planning to attend the games in person to remain vigilant when purchasing tickets,” said Carr. “Criminals will take advantage of any opportunity to steal Georgians’ hard-earned dollars, including using major sporting events such as the World Series that generate high demand in ticket sales. Awareness is key, and we encourage all consumers to be on guard against these types of scams. We hope all fans enjoy this historic moment in Atlanta sports history while also taking the necessary steps to protect themselves and their wallets from potential scam artists.”
The Attorney General’s Office offers the following tips for consumers:
- Buy tickets from reputable sites. You can check whether the business is accredited with the Better Business Bureau by going to bbb.org. You may also want to search the internet for complaints and reviews of a business.
- The so-called ticket scalpers who approach you outside the event gates are often scammers peddling bogus tickets. Don’t risk it.
- You can also find a ticket broker through the National Association of Ticket Brokers, which requires its members to guarantee that every ticket sold on their websites is legitimate.
- Inquire with the organization hosting the sporting event about a safe method for reselling and buying verified tickets.
- Be very wary of buying tickets through Craigslist ads.
- Avoid wiring money to the seller, as this is often an indication of a scam.
- If purchasing tickets online, make sure the website begins with the prefix https://. This indicates that transactions are encrypted and protected against being intercepted by third parties.
- Be wary of deals that sound too good to be true. Scammers often try to lure consumers into handing over their money by offering tickets or merchandise at below-market rates.
- Protect your identity by refraining from posting pictures of your tickets online or on social media. Scammers can easily take the barcodes in an online post and use them to create fraudulent tickets and steal personal information.
- Ticket brokers are required by Georgia law to register with the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission and comply with other regulations, including providing their license number in any internet, broadcast or print advertising. To verify a ticket broker’s license, visit sos.ga.gov, click on “Licensing” and then “Search for a Licensee.”
To file a complaint against a ticket broker, contact the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission at 404-656-2868 or soscontact@sos.ga.gov.
