Maybe it’s a concert at Rady Shell or a Padres game at Petco Park, all the added fees can make ticket prices very expensive.
On one site, a ticket to John Legend’s Rady concert was going for $269. But with all of the fees, it’s $353 and that’s for the last row.
It’s why resale sites can be alluring, especially person-to-person sites like Craigslist, OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace where prices can be much lower.
Beware!! A couple of months ago, I found low-priced NCAA tickets on Craigslist. They even displayed a BBB Accredited logo. Accredited means the business agreed to operate with higher ethical standards. Great, until I checked with the Better Business Bureau and found they were never accredited so who knows if the tickets were even real.
BBB ScamTracker (bbb.org/scamtracker/lookupscam) also has reports of sites collecting money for fake festivals or luring people with low price offers only to add huge costs at the end.
Protect yourself before buying your next concert or game ticket:
-Beware of prices far below those found on most other sites for similar seats.
-Though fees can be high, sticking with the venue’s ticket seller or a reputable ticket resale site offers the most protection. Check bbb.org for reviews and for BBB Accredited Businesses before buying.
-Know the ticket seller refund policy. The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park says patrons “assume full risk for potentially fraudulent tickets purchased or obtained through unauthorized vendors.”
-Pay with a credit card. You have 60 days or more to dispute a fraudulent charge. If you pay with a cash app or wire transfer, and you’re scammed, you won’t get the money back.
-Most venues demand a digital barcode from your phone to get in. Check before you buy any paper ticket. Petco Park’s policy states “to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud, print-at-home tickets in any form are no longer accepted for entry. Each ticket has a mobile ticket barcode that must be scanned.”
Report scams and bad business practices to the California Attorney General’s Office at: peopleclerk.com/post/california-attorney-general-complaint and to the Better Business Bureau at: bbb.org/.
Check out all Joeknowsbetter reports at: bbb.org/local/1126/joe-knows-better.
Photo credit: Pixabay.com
