Beware: World Series ticket scams to look out for
HOUSTON - If you are lucky enough to buy tickets to the World Series, don’t let your luck run out by ending up with a ticket that isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
We are protecting your pocketbook, alerting you the World Series ticket scams to look out for.
We all know not to trust scalpers who stand outside the stadium and sell fake tickets, but in this digital age, thieves have thought of new ways to run the same old scam.
For instance, some Astros fans are determined to dig up discounted World Series tickets, which likely don’t exist. So if you see World Series tickets for sale online at prices so low you can’t resist, that should be a red flag.
"If it sounds too good to be true it probably is," explains Leah Napoliello with the Houston Better Business Bureau.
Napoliello says the World Series may be the biggest game in town, but thieves trying to get over on fans who want to be there is a close second. So as you look for tickets online, first try the official Major League Baseball site. If they’re sold out, look for reputable companies.
"Make sure you research the vendor and check with the BBB and see if there are any complaints or customer reviews,” Napoliello adds.
She also suggests checking out the ticket seller on the National Association for Ticket Brokers website.
"We’ve been serving the community for a long time so our customers have been happy for as long as I can remember,” explains Deric Margolis with AnyTickets.com.
When FOX 26's Damali Keith found a $481 World Series ticket on AnyTickets.com, she then checked out the Houston-owned business, which has been around for decades, finding it has an A+ BBB rating and AnyTickets.com is recommended by the National Association for Ticket Brokers.
"We stand by our product,” adds Margolis who says Astros World Series tickets are selling on average for $1,200 to $1,500 and seats are selling fast. To find tickets at AnyTickets.com call (713) 952-5333.
One of the newest ways ticket buyers are getting stiffed? Scammers are buying real tickets, selling a printed copy then beating the buyer to the game and using their digital copy to get in. Once the barcode is scanned digitally, the paper copy is no good.
"So just buy from someone you know, a trusted vendor or the official site itself,” says Napoliello.
The BBB suggests you use your credit card when buying World Series tickets, not your debit card, but credit card because it’s usually easier to dispute a charge if you run into a problem.
Also, make sure you report the incident if you are scammed so the scammer can be stopped. Often victims who fall for these schemes are too embarrassed to admit it.