Sales scam leaves Purdue football fans without cash, tickets

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — A sales scam is taking cash from Boilermakers football fan and leaving them without tickets, Purdue University Police Department said Wednesday.

Here’s how it starts: Fraudulent Purdue football tickets are posted on the Group Me messaging app.

“The person trying to sell the tickets poses as a student and during a verification process asks the potential purchaser for a photo of themselves and a photo of their student ID card. The fraudulent seller then uses photos of the previous victim to send to the next potential victim, claiming to be the Purdue student in photos as the one selling tickets,” Purdue said in a news release issued Wednesday.

Apple Pay and Venmo are among the payment platforms being used.

Purdue Police Chief Lesley Wiete suggested people avoid ticket transactions with people they don’t know. If someone attempts a sale, save the usernames, phone numbers and other information and report them to police. Purdue police can be reached at 765-494-8221.