How can you ensure this doesn’t happen to you? Here are a few things to watch out for in order to avoid falling into that 12%.
Beware of Social Media
The website Eventbrite recommends paying extra attention if you’re planning to purchase event tickets via social media. They advise to look for unnatural language in posts and comments about tickets for sale, as well as “people” whose profiles state they live in a city far from the venue.
Verify It’s a Trusted Vendor
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) suggests purchasing from the venue whenever possible, but considering ticket-buying computer bots can now purchase huge quantities of tickets before consumers can, that can be tough. If you do have to purchase from a vendor other than the venue, consider the source. You can look up the vendor on the BBB website or see if they’re a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB)..
You’re Not Out of Luck!
There are still safe, secure ways you can purchase tickets to that NFL game or concert. The Federal Trade Commission(FTC) recommends you get in on pre-sales, where fans can get access to tickets before the general public by signing up for newsletters or alerts. You can also purchase tickets with credit cards instead of debit cards to give yourself another layer of protection if tickets turn out to be false or never turn up.
For additional protection, only purchase tickets that come with a refund policy, beware of ads, and verify your tickets by paying a visit to the venue’s Will Call office ahead of time.