When That Hot Ticket is a Fake

Getting tickets to must-see concerts is becoming harder than ever. From presale signup to waiting hours online and still missing out on the tickets you want, criminals have a solution – and it’s costing consumers a lot of money in fraudulent ticket purchases.

With most concert venues switching to digital tickets only, it is even easier to produce counterfeit tickets. And with many of the top shows selling out instantly, the market for resale tickets is larger than ever. Here are three tips to avoid buying a worthless ticket.

First, stick to known ticket sale sites or visit the National Association of Ticket Brokers (natb.org) to ensure that you are dealing with a verified reseller. Always type the web address of the site you want to visit into your browser instead of clicking a link that could take you to a copycat site.

Second, beware of offers on social media and online marketplaces where this scam flourishes.

Third, never pay with a peer-to-peer payment app unless you are getting tickets from someone you know. You don’t have the same consumer protections with these methods that you have with a credit card.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.