With the proliferation of online ticket resale marketplaces, ticket scammers have found new avenues to take advantage of eager buyers looking for tickets to sold out events. Being scammed out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars for fake tickets can be devastating. Luckily, there are several ways to identify potential scammers and avoid being ripped off.
Trust Your Instincts
If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Extremely low prices, hard-to-get tickets being resold in large quantities, and high pressure sales tactics are all red flags. Legitimate sellers will provide detailed information on the tickets, allow time for the buyer to make a decision, and use secure payment platforms. Scammers will rush the sale, provide vague details, only communicate via email, and insist on wire transfers or other irreversible payment methods. If anything seems suspicious, walk away.
Research the Seller
Do some digging on the person or company selling the tickets before sending any money. Search for reviews online and check sites like the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints. A professional ticket broker will have an established web presence and contact info. Be wary of sellers with no online footprint outside of the platform you are using. Ask for multiple forms of contact info, not just an email address. Scammers can quickly abandon email addresses without a trace.
Verify the Tickets
Ask for photos of the actual tickets being sold, including the ticket details and barcodes. Compare them to other tickets from the same event. Fake tickets will often have mistakes, unclear details, or other signs they are not authentic. Ask for the ticket transfer to be processed through the official ticket issuer to validate the tickets. Scammers will make excuses as to why they can’t transfer them officially. If purchasing locally, always meet in person to complete the exchange. Only send money after you have verified the tickets in hand.
Use Caution with Classified Listings
Online classifieds like Craigslist are ripe for ticket scams. Scammers take advantage of the anonymous nature and lack of buyer protection on classified platforms. Be very wary of local sellers advertising tickets on classifieds, especially if the prices seem too good to be true. Insist on seeing the tickets first before exchanging any money.
Avoid Wire Transfers
Never agree to send wire transfers, Bitcoin, Venmo, cash apps, or other non-reversible forms of payment to an anonymous seller online. Credit cards and services like Paypal offer buyer protection for disputed charges. Wire transfers do not! Any seller insisting on only taking irreversible payments is almost certainly a scammer.
Watch Out for “Hard” Tickets
Beware of online sellers offering “hard” paper tickets that will be shipped to you. In many cases, modern venues no longer issue paper tickets, so this is a huge red flag. Even for events that still have paper tickets, there is often no way to verify if a hard ticket is real or fake. The safest option is to only purchase tickets that can be transferred to you electronically from the official ticketing company.
Only Use Reputable Platforms
Stick to well known ticket resale marketplaces like Stubhub and Vivid Seats that offer buyer guarantees. Avoid sellers on Craigslist, social media, ebay, and lesser known sites with no protections. Many scammers hawk fake tickets on platforms with limited seller vetting. Research reviews and complaints before using a new ticket platform.
Watch for “Overpayment” Scams
One common ticket scam involves the seller “accidentally” overcharging your credit card and asking you to wire back the difference. They may claim it was an accounting mistake, processing error, or that the price dropped after purchase. It is always a lie. Once you wire funds, the original charge will be disputed and you will be out the entire amount.
Signs of a Fake Ticket Website
Scammers often create elaborate fake ticket websites to trick buyers. Watch for these signs of a fraudulent site:
- No physical address or contact information beyond an email
- No customer service phone number
- Prices that are much lower than other sites
- Lack of security features or guarantees
- Typos, grammatical errors, and other warning signs
- Site was registered very recently
Do thorough vetting before entering payment details on an unfamiliar ticket website. Many scammers only build sites to be used for a short time before disappearing.
How Scammers Use Social Media
Social platforms like Facebook and Instagram are filled with potential scammers. Watch for these tactics on social media:
- Suspicious accounts with no friends or posts
- Comments on event pages from accounts offering tickets
- People reaching out directly with unsolicited ticket offers
- Posts promoting ticket giveaways or unbelievably low prices
Any ticket seller reaching out directly on social media should be considered highly suspicious. They often pretend to be someone local just looking to sell an extra ticket, then disappear once paid.
Examples of Ticket Scams
To understand how ticket scammers operate, these are some real world examples:
Craigslist Ad Scam
A local seller on Craigslist advertises tickets to an upcoming concert at a price that seems too good to be true. Once contacted, they say they accidentally posted the wrong section and the tickets are actually in another city, but they can overnight them. They provide an email address and demand payment via Zelle first. Once paid, the “seller” ceases all communication. The email address is fake and there were never any tickets.
Fake Ticket Website
A ticket search brings up a website offering extremely low prices for sold out shows. The site looks somewhat legitimate with stock images and sections for NBA, NFL, and concert tickets. A customer purchases tickets by credit card and receives a confirmation email. On the day of the event, the tickets do not work and the site has disappeared. It was a scam all along.
Social Media Offer
Someone sends a direct message on Instagram claiming to have an extra ticket to an upcoming festival and offering it for far below face value. They say they will transfer the ticket electronically but just need payment first via PayPal or Venmo. As soon as money is sent, the account stops responding and is deleted soon after.
“Hard” Paper Tickets
A seller on eBay offers hard copy tickets to a concert that has been sold out for months. After purchase, the seller stops all communication and the tickets never arrive. In some cases, fake tickets do arrive, but venues can easily identify and reject them at the gate.
How to Avoid Being Scammed
Here are the most important tips for avoiding ticket scams:
- Be suspicious of prices that seem too good to be true
- Thoroughly research the seller before paying
- Only buy from trusted marketplaces and platforms
- Verify tickets electronically through official channels
- Never pay with irreversible methods like wire transfer
- Never buy hard copy paper tickets online
- Watch out for scammers on social media
With smart precautions, you can feel confident purchasing resale tickets while avoiding scams. Trust your instincts, take your time, and only use reputable platforms. Do not let a great price cause you to let your guard down.
Protecting Yourself if Scammed
If you do fall victim to a ticket scam, here are some options:
- Report the scam – File reports with the FTC, IC3, and platform used
- Dispute the charges – Call your credit card company to dispute
- Spread the word – Leave negative reviews to warn others
- Contact authorities – File police reports for large amounts lost
- Learn from experience – Adjust practices to avoid repeats
Unfortunately, recovering lost money can be very difficult, especially if irreversible payment methods were used. Prevention is critical to avoid the chances of being scammed in the first place.
The Bottom Line
With billions of dollars exchanging hands in the secondary ticket market, scammers flock to popular resale platforms to take advantage of unaware buyers. But armed with the right knowledge, ticket scams can be avoided. Trust your instincts, verify all tickets, use only secure payment methods, and stick to reputable sellers. If you remain vigilant, getting great tickets from a safe seller is absolutely possible.