It's a huge entertainment weekend in Cleveland from New Kids on the Block Friday night to the U2 concert Saturday. That means criminals will try to take advantage of your plans, especially if you're heading to U2.
"Scammers...they really know how to make it look real,” said Ericka Dilworth from the Better Business Bureau serving Greater Cleveland. She’s right. Just ask the more than 200 people scammed through ticket sales from just one U2 concert recently.
"Please be sure that you verify,” said Dilworth.
A News 5 quick search for tickets on Craigslist pulled up dozens of offers. If they're from a company, you can search for reviews and info through the BBB or Google Transparency Report.
If you buy from a person, don't pay through Western Union or gift cards. Get the sellers to accept your credit card. "If you do pay with your credit card, you have a little bit of some protection if, indeed, the transaction doesn't go through,” Dilworth told us.
But if you still haven't found what you're looking for, Dilworth said it’s time to make a call.
“Certainly the scammer is going to tell you, ‘Trust me. It's all good. I wouldn't scam you.’ But the only way to know for sure is to check with the venue.”
Always look for https online and the green lock symbol on sites. Make sure you are truly on the site you want and not a look-a-like site ready to scam you.
"Sometimes they just change one letter or add a letter that your eye isn't necessarily going to catch,” said Dilworth. “So, it looks like it's the same site."
It's all in an effort to protect your purchase and your goal for a good time.
"So, you need to be very careful that you're not giving your money to someone that's just going to take it and run and you're going to be left without tickets to that concert that you want to go to," Dilworth told us.
National reports show about 5 million people every year get fake tickets to concerts, sporting events, and amusement parks.
