IL Attorney General warns of ticket scams amid concert, festival season

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Summer is a season filled with festivals and concerts, and the Illinois Attorney General is warning Illinois residents to stay vigilant of common ticket scams.

According to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, ticket scams are more frequent in part due to the increase in online marketplaces.

“While the emergence of smart technology has simplified the way we live our lives, bad actors use that same technology to take advantage of consumers,” Raoul said in a release. “I encourage all Illinoisans to be vigilant this summer when purchasing tickets to avoid falling victim to scammers.”

Raoul recommends following these tips to ensure security when purchasing tickets:

• Make sure the website is secure. Some signs of a secure website include “https” in the address and a lock graphic in the search bar. If you’re still unsure, you can search the website’s name with the word “fake” or “scam,” as well as checking with the Better Business Bureau.

• Don’t buy tickets from unfamiliar private parties. This includes avoiding online offers on social media posts and message boards from people you don’t know.

• Know who the venue is using to sell tickets.

• Call the event’s venue ahead of time if you need to verify if a ticket or wristband is fake.

• If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Take note of whether all fees are disclosed from the beginning of the transaction to the end.

• Refrain from using gift cards, peer-to-peer transaction apps, wire transfers or cryptocurrency when buying tickets. If there isn’t an option to pay for tickets with a credit card, this should raise a red flag.

• Pay attention to terms and conditions when purchasing tickets.

• Be cautious of using purchasing plans such as buy-now-pay-later and layaway products. Missed payments can hurt your credit score and some of these plans may have higher interest rates that aren’t fully apparent at checkout. Some will make automatic payments from your account as a default setting.

If you believe you have been victim to fraud, file a complaint on the Attorney General’s website or call one of their Consumer Fraud Hotlines listed here.

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