PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As the FIFA World Cup fever heats up, so do the scammers looking to capitalize on fans trying to attend matches. Experts warn of one "ghost ticket" scam, in particular, that people should watch out for.
A "ghost ticket" sale is when someone buys tickets from an unverified seller, but the tickets never existed.
LegalShield attorney Ben Farrow said the easiest way to avoid falling victim to this scheme is to buy from reputable third-party sites.
“Any of those social media sites, you don’t know who you’re talking to. And if it seems too good, or the seats are too good, don’t do it,” Farrow said.
Farrow also said "ghost tickets" account for 68% of World Cup ticket scams, so a second layer of protection beyond a reputable third-party seller is to use a credit card instead of cash.
“A credit card means you have fraud prevention, and you also have about a 60-day window where you can report the fraud,” he added.
If you are scammed, take immediate action.
“They have very good consumer laws in Pennsylvania; you can report it,” Farrow said.
Experts warn that you should also pay close attention to the URLs of the site you are purchasing from, as another common scam is spoofing websites to look legitimate.
Data from Lloyds Bank shows 36% of victims do not realize their purchased tickets are fake until they are rejected at the doors of the stadium.
