Shopping for event tickets online is a bit of a double-edged sword as far as a lot of people are concerned. It is a fast and convenient way to get what you want at what should be a good price, but there is always that fear in the back of your mind that you might end up being scammed.
Here is a look at some tips and strategies to help you ensure you get the genuine tickets you want online and at the right price. Including an overview of how scammers prey on their victims, how to improve your odds of spotting the frauds and fakes, plus some sensible strategies to ensure you get what you want, or your money back.
Increasing awareness but still the scammers exist
Scammers and fraudsters don’t seem to be afraid to operate in plain sight and despite recent efforts to try and prevent these unscrupulous characters from finding a space on certain sites where shoppers are looking for tickets, they are still managing to entrap a regular supply of victims.
When you go searching for concert tickets and the chance to see your favorite artist play live you will naturally be excited about the chance to secure the seats you want and the prospect of those tickets not being genuine might be far from your mind at that point.
Sadly, it will soon become apparent when your money has been taken but you don’t get the tickets, or you turn up at the concert only to get turned away when the tickets turn out to be fake.
You always need to be vigilant and try to be savvy about where you buy your tickets and who you buy them from.
Try to have a fraud alert radar
Many of us possess a certain level of gut instinct that gives us a feeling that something isn’t quite right with a certain situation, and this is a way to approach buying tickets from a source that you are not familiar with.
It often pays to try and adopt the mindset of a fraudster and think what you would be doing if you were in their shoes.
For example, if a certain high-profile artist is coming to town and the tickets are going to be a hot item that a lot of people are trying to get their hands on, this creates a perfect scenario for a scammer who knows that some desperate fans will take a few risks and turn a blind eye to certain issues, if it means that they get a chance to buy the tickets they want.
If a site is offering plenty of tickets when you know that availability is likely to be thin on the ground and only reputable outlets are likely to have been given a ticket allocation, that should be a situation that sets off your fraud alert radar and warns you that the deal might not be as legitimate as it seems.
Take your time
A classic tactic used regularly by fraudsters is to rush their victims into making a quick decision.
They will often instill a sense of urgency into the situation and tell you that you have to snap up the tickets right now or they will be taken by someone else a few moments later.
Don’t be rushed into a purchasing decision in that way. If you are in an online queuing system and get to the front of the line, you will normally be given a timeframe where the tickets are held long enough for you to check the details, confirm the date and seat numbers are right, before clicking through to the payment page and completing your transaction.
Use your credit card
When you pay by credit card it gives you a certain amount of consumer protection, which means that if the tickets turn out to be fake you should be able to claim the cost back from your card provider.
The Fair Credit Billing Act is a useful layer of protection so use it to help ensure you don’t lose your money if you are scammed.
Paying for tickets by cash or transferring money into the fraudster’s bank account directly is a recipe for disaster if they turn out to be a fraudster rather than a genuine private seller.
Spotting the fakes
If you stick to reputable ticket agencies and resellers who you know are ok and know others have had a good experience, you should be fine, but unknown sites could be a scammer selling you a fake ticket.
When you get your ticket, watch out for obvious spelling mistakes and grammatical errors that spell trouble. Also, search for the barcode on your ticket. A lot of events will scan the tickets at the door when you present the ticket, and if there is no barcode or it doesn’t look right, check with the venue or the official ticket seller to confirm what you have is genuine.
Buying tickets online is a convenient and cost-effective way of booking, just be constantly wary of scammers, and stick to suppliers you know are genuine and can trust.
Taylor Hewitt is an avid online shopper and money saving Dad always seeking the best deal to be had online.
