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BBB offering tips to avoid purchasing fake NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The Better Business Bureau is offering tips to help the Indianapolis community from purchasing fake tickets for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Indianapolis will host a first and second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, so scouting for tickets may cause some to turn to the secondary ticket resale market.

The secondary resale market includes online ticket exchanges and professional resellers or brokers. Some of the deals may be great, but ticket fraud can happen.

Here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau to avoid being a victim of fraud:

  • Purchase tickets from the venue
  • Whenever possible, use the official ticket sales agent for the venue; many now offer secondary sales options
  • Check your source and know the difference between:

    1. A professional ticket broker
    2. A ticket scalper
    3. A scammer selling fraudulent tickets
  • Check out the seller/broker:

    1. Look them up on bbb.org to learn what other customers have experienced.
    2. Check to see if they are a member of the National Association of Ticket Broker; NATB members offer a 200 percent purchase guarantee on tickets.
    3. Look up the seller on VerifiedTicketSource.com to confirm you are buying from an NATB-member resale company.
  • Buy only from trusted vendors:

    1. Look for the lock symbol in the web address to indicate a secure purchasing system.
    2. Don’t click through from emails or online ads.
  • Know the refund policy:

    1. You should only purchase tickets from a ticket reseller that provides clear details about the terms of the transaction.
    2. Sellers should disclose to the purchaser, prior to purchase, the location of the seats represented by the tickets, either orally or by reference to a seating chart.
    3. If the tickets are not available for immediate access to the purchaser, disclose when the tickets will ship or be available for pick up.
  • Use payment methods that come with protection:

    1. Always use a credit card so you have some recourse if the tickets are not as promised.
    2. Debit cards, wire transfer or cash transactions are risky; if the tickets are fraudulent, you won’t be able to get your money back.
  • Be wary of advertisements:

    1. Use good judgment when it comes to online tickets and advertisements for cheap tickets.

      If you’re unsure, pay a visit to the arena where the event will be held and get clarification if it is legitimate.

If you have any questions or would like more information, contact BBB at info@indybbb.org or call 1-866-463-9222.

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