BBB urges Vikings fans to stiff-arm fake ticket sellers

Published 8:34 am Friday, September 8, 2017

Excitement is sky-high as the Minnesota Vikings start the regular season with a big Monday Night matchup against Adrian Peterson and the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sept. 11. Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) warns fans scammers might attempt an end around with bogus tickets right up to the time of opening kickoff.

“Simple awareness of this growing problem is your best defense,” said Susan Adams Loyd, President and CEO of BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “Fake tickets are a fact of life for sports fans these days. By staying between the lines, you can greatly reduce your odds of being thrown for a big loss.”

BBB reminds everyone that reputable ticket sources are out there and are the best option to secure a seat and not get scammed. Also, ticket selling on U.S. Bank Stadium property is illegal.

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To avoid getting sacked by scammers, BBB recommends you:

• Choose a reputable online ticket broker. Only the Vikings ticket office, Ticketmaster and the NFL TicketExchange (nfl.com/tickets) can guarantee the ticket you purchase online will be valid to attend the event. When purchasing tickets through any other online brokers, look for the BBB seal on their website and research them online at bbb.org. Review the company’s track record and what their policy is if tickets purchased through their site are fake or not as advertised. When buying tickets online, always pay with a credit card.

• Be leery of buying from scalpers at the event. Buying tickets near the venue on game day can be a dangerous game. The seats may be just as advertised or you might find yourself on the outside of the stadium – and also out whatever money you paid to the scammer.

Never wire money to someone you don’t know. If you find a seller online that claims to have tickets to the game, be very careful. Any request by the seller to have you wire money to pay for the tickets should be the red flag that makes you walk away. This is virtually always the sign of a scam.

On their website, the Vikings offer these additional tips:

• Always check with the Vikings Ticket Office or the ticket booths to see if walk-up tickets are available. The Vikings have two types of authorized tickets: accessible through the Vikings Mobile App or printed PDF tickets.

Vikings tickets are not printed on Ticketmaster hard ticket stock. If you are buying tickets printed on Ticketmaster hard ticket stock, they are fake.

If you are buying tickets on the street, scrutinize them closely for inaccuracies or alterations. Cross-check the seat assignment and prices with a stadium map found on the Vikings Mobile App.

• Ask the person who is selling tickets on the street if you could take a picture of him/her with their valid ID before the transaction. If they refuse, move on.

Finally, apply common sense. Tickets for big games such as this one are always in high demand. The chances of you getting lucky and finding an unbelievable deal are slim at best. If a situation sounds too good to be true, such as someone selling tickets for much less than they’re being offered elsewhere, the offer is likely not legitimate.

The mission of Better Business Bureau is to be the leader in building marketplace trust by promoting, through self-regulation, the highest standards of business ethics and conduct, and to instill confidence in responsible businesses through programs of education and action that inform, assist and protect the general public.