Avoiding event ticket scams

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – You have to be really careful when you buy event tickets online and you're not going through a reputable, well known site. Not only will you find it hard to compare prices, you could even end up with counterfeit tickets. 

Channel 4 Crime and Safety Analyst, Gil Smith, said, "The main thing is to do your research when you're buying tickets."

Smith admits the internet has made it simple to find tickets to that sold-out show or ballgame. The question is: how much are you willing to pay and will you get what you pay for?

Angie Hicks with Angie's List told us, "Shopping for tickets online might seem easy, but comparing prices actually can be difficult because when you're looking at prices you may not realize the final price until you go through the checkout funnel with added fees."

Angie's List finds that's a common tactic for many "virtual" brokers, which don't stock tickets themselves. They resell someone else's tickets and make their money with additional charges.

Ticket broker Mike Peduto said, "Unfortunately, sometimes those sites are set up where they're hoping you get all the way to the end, you put all your information in and you won't leave because you've done all that work." 

Peduto has been brokering tickets for 30 years, and he knows there are scammers out there taking some of his business. Like Smith, he urges people to do their research. He and Smith both warn you to steer clear of any site that demands payment by wire transfer or avoids speaking directly with you.

"If they don't have any type of contact information, by email or by telephone, if you can't speak to them directly, that should be a red flag they may not be reputable," Smith warned.

If you are using a broker, make sure the person you are dealing with is legitimate. A good way to go is with someone that's a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers

Smith added," They are held to a very strict code of conduct and strict standards. There may be some recourse if the transaction goes wrong and you don't get your tickets and there may be a way to get your money back."

And if you are buying tickets from a private person, meet to make the transaction in a public place. Smith also warns you to look closely at what you are buying.

"If you're purchasing from a private person, the tickets may not be valid because there are a lot of counterfeit tickets out there," Smith warned. "From working here at the arena and from working at the stadium, I've seen when they scan the tickets and they turn out to be counterfeit. You know they thought they were buying them legitimately and it turns out it was a scam."

According to Angie's List, if you do use a ticket broker, the only fees that brokers should charge are the ticket price and delivery fee. A typical delivery fee is $15. The broker's website will not show this charge until you get to the checkout screen. Verify the total cost of the transaction before entering credit card information.

Check to see if your potential broker belongs to the National Association of Ticket Brokers, which is a non profit group.