The Boston Red Sox are headed to the World Series and many fans are anxious to cheer them on. In the midst of all the excitement, Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers advice to sports fans to be on the lookout for ticket and hotel scams.
“Since there is such a high demand for these tickets, BBB anticipates an escalation in scams,” said Paula Fleming, Vice President of Communications and Marketing. “Scammers use these opportunities to lure consumers into purchasing counterfeit tickets or booking hotel rooms that don’t exist.”
BBB advises consumers to use caution when making ticket purchases and offers the following tips for making informed buying decisions:
– Start your search with trust. Know the name, address and phone number of the business you are considering making a purchase from. Check out the business at bbb.org to make sure that it is legitimate.
– Be sure to get the details in writing; this includes the price of the tickets, location of the seats, cancellation policies and any other important information. If booking a hotel room, check the hotel’s website or a well-known travel site to be sure the hotel is legitimate.
– If you are uncertain about an online deal for a hotel room, call the hotel directly to verify.
– Use a credit card or PayPal when making a purchase online as the charges are more secure and easiest to dispute if a problem arises.
– When buying tickets online, ask for a picture of the tickets and verify them using the venue’s seating chart. Get the seller’s real name and contact information.
– If you buy from an online seller, be sure you take the necessary precautions to ensure you are not being sold fraudulent tickets.
World Series tickets are currently the most popular tickets to purchase, which make it a favorite event for scammers. BBB urges consumers to exercise precaution when making purchases and take advantage of BBB’s free services to check out a business.
