Vikings fans hoping to get last minute tickets for Sunday’s showdown against the Packers have been warned to check who they’re buying from.
Minneapolis police have issued a warning over possible fake tickets as interest in the NFC North clash at TCF Bank Stadium ramped up after the Vikes displaced their fiercest rivals at the top of the standings last weekend.
In an alert posted on Facebook, the police have warned that “there will be bad tickets on the street” and is urging fans only to buy from official exchanges.
Such is the demand for tickets, the cheapest currently selling on the NFL Ticket Exchange costs $165, and the most expensive is an eye-watering $4,435 for lounge tickets.
“The ONLY place to purchase tickets where you are guaranteed a seat at the game is with the Vikings Ticket Office, TicketMaster or NFL Ticket Exchange,” the police say.
“You are taking a chance that your ticket will be bad by purchasing from any other venue, including Craigslist, Ebay and ticket brokers.”
The department says that fans are better off buying e-tickets rather than hard copies, given that the former are more difficult to reproduce as they are transferred directly to the original owners online.
The police say if “you feel you have to purchase tickets from a scalper” outside the stadium, they have some tips for buyers:
- Purchase closer, rather than farther from the stadium
- Take a photo of the person that you are buying from, and possibly their driver’s license or ID
- Have the seller walk with you to the gate to make sure that you get through the gate
- Ask the seller if he has a business card, many brokers that are out will have one and gladly share it for future business
