The Detroit Lions are returning to the playoffs after clinching the No. 1 seed as the NFC North Champions.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says those in the market for tickets to upcoming playoff games should know the risks associated with online ticket purchases by reviewing the Department’s Online Ticket Purchasing consumer alert.
“If you’re buying tickets to the divisional round, and hopefully the championship round, at Ford Field, make sure they are authentic, not just screenshots of bogus tickets. Staying alert will help protect you and your wallet, allowing you to cheer on the Lions all the way to the Super Bowl,” said Nessel.
Buying tickets
Watch out for bank and money/payment app scams. Payment app scams involve peer-to-peer (P2P) money apps like Apple Pay, Cash App, Circle Pay, Facebook Payments, Google Pay, PayPal, Square Cash, PopMoney, Zelle and Venmo.
- Know your vendor - Make sure you are buying from a reputable website, especially before providing any personal financial information. Anyone can set up a “spoof” website with a web address that is similar to the legitimate ticket seller’s address. Aside from potential licensing and trademark violations, “spoof” websites may offer consumers overpriced or counterfeit tickets and expose the consumer to identity theft.
- Do your research - If you are unfamiliar with a particular ticket vendor, you can call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at 877-765-8388 and ask if complaints have been filed regarding that seller. However, remember that the absence of filed complaints does not guarantee a seller’s legitimacy; it simply means that the Department has not received any complaints concerning the vendor. As an additional resource, try researching the ticket seller on the Better Business Bureau’s national website.
- Use credit - If you purchase tickets online, especially via an online auction site, it is recommended that you complete your transaction using a credit card. Purchasing tickets with a credit card often provides you with protections that you would not otherwise have if you purchased the tickets using cash, check, or apps like Venmo and Cash App. Added protections with credit include the ability to dispute a charge if an event is canceled, or if you receive counterfeit tickets that a venue refuses to honor. Try to choose sellers with long histories of satisfied customers, and make sure the online bid amount is listed in American dollars.
- Shop securely - If a website begins with “https,” the “s” indicates that the website is “secure.” Typically, the “s” will not appear in the web address until you access the order page of the site where you are asked to enter your personal information. Another indicator of a secure website is a graphic of a closed lock located at the bottom of your screen. Secure websites take precautions to ensure that others cannot see and copy the personal information you provide.
Selling tickets
If you try to sell legitimate tickets online, scammers may use the fake check scam to steal your money. A potential buyer makes an offer and sends a check — perhaps even a cashier’s check — for considerably more than the cost of the tickets and pretends it’s an error. They ask the seller to deposit the check and refund them the difference. But the check is a counterfeit, and the seller is scammed out of their money plus any other funds from the fake check, as well as bank fees. Banks do not assume those losses.
Other scams
- Bank scams - Scammers impersonating your bank may call to alert you about “suspicious activity” on your account and direct you to send money to yourself or “the bank’s address” to reverse a transaction or to verify the account is not frozen. Your bank will never tell you to send money to anyone, not even yourself.
- Fake fraud - Scammers claiming to represent a fraud department or merchant may ask you to confirm information such as your bank account username and password, credit/debit card data or Social Security numbers. Do not share this information. Hang up and call the real bank, credit card company or business.
- Spoof sites - Scammers may send spoofed emails warning that an account is about to be suspended and that the account holder must enter their password on a spoofed webpage. Generally, payment app vendors will never ask you to enter your password unless you are on the login page.
If you have a complaint regarding tickets you purchased online, you can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at 877-765-8388 or using the online complaint form.
