St. Paul police are warning Minnesota Wild fans to be careful when buying tickets online.
With the Wild’s success as of late, St. Paul police and the Xcel Energy Center said they have noticed an increase in fake tickets both with online sales and from peddlers on the street, FOX 9 reports.
MN Wild fever is out there. Be careful when buying txt off the internet! There is alot of fraudulent txt out there. pic.twitter.com/6Gq735amiU
— Saint Paul Police Department (@sppdmn) April 4, 2015
Fake tickets could become an even bigger issue if the Wild clinch a spot in the playoffs – they’ll have that chance this week. The Star Tribune lays out the scenarios.
The Xcel Energy Center also has a consumer warning on its website for people who buy tickets from people who are not affiliated with the arena.
Not only have tickets to Wild games become one of the hottest in town, so have tickets for next season. The Wild has noticed a surge in sales since the beginning of March, WCCO reported, noting season ticket sales have reached record-high sales for this time of year.
More on ticket scams
The Better Business Bureau often warns about ticket scams, saying the most common way people get victimized is either paying for counterfeits, or ordering tickets that never arrive.
People don’t tend to get scammed when buying tickets through reputable resale websites, which can be checked through the Better Business Bureau’s website.
The BBB has a few tips for buying online:
- If you buy tickets through an online auction site, choose a seller with a long history of satisfied customers who has recently sold other tickets – scammers sometimes hijack old accounts.
- If you’re buying tickets from an unfamiliar source, check their BBB review and complaint activity. Also, make sure the broker is licensed in Minnesota and see if it is a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers.
- Avoid paying cash in person to a stranger and never wire funds for payments. Instead, use a credit card or PayPal, which offer some protection to buyers if tickets don’t arrive or are counterfeit. Icon Tickets says if a seller asks you to pay in cash it’s more than likely it’s a scam.
- Check the seating chart at the facility to avoid purchasing tickets for nonexistent seats.
- Read all the fine print and verify ticket delivery dates.
- Be wary of ticket offers that are marketed as extreme discounts – there���s a good chance it’s too good to be true.
