More and more people are buying tickets for events, concerts, and shows through Facebook due to convenience. However, you want to know how to not get scammed buying tickets on Facebook due to the increasing number of people ready to sell you fake concert tickets. The general advice is often for you to avoid falling for these scams by being careful. But “how” is the question this guide answers to help you spot potential scammers.
How to not get scammed buying tickets on Facebook
Just follow the few easy steps below to avoid getting scammed buying tickets on Facebook:
1. Try buying from the venue website first
Unless the concert is by an A-list artist like Adele, Jack White, or Taylor Swift, which sells out in minutes, you probably still have time to buy tickets from the venue’s website. If not, call the venue and ask if they know any trusted third-party vendors.
I work part-time in the box office of a fairly large Twin Cities venue. I can’t tell you how many times people came in with fake tickets while I had a big stack of real tickets for that night’s show on the floor next to me, and ready to be bought.
2. Do your research
I understand you’re left with Facebook as an option, and you probably found someone willing to sell their concert ticket. But before you buy tickets from someone on Facebook, you need to do your research and find out what kind of reputation the seller has.
Do this by checking out what other buyers have said about the seller and be sure they have a good track record. If you don’t trust the seller, it’s best to move on to someone else.
Most of the time, dishonest people create fake Facebook accounts only to use them for fake ticket sales. They don’t have any personal information or connections, and they usually only have one or two photos of a young, attractive woman on that profile.
If the person’s account isn’t private, you’ll be able to see a regular history of posts and comments from their friends on their timeline.
3. Assess the pricing
Be careful with tickets that are a lot cheaper than what they are worth. Usually, concert tickets being resold at prices that are too good to be true are a sign of Facebook scams. Even though it may seem like a good deal, these tickets may not be real or may not be valid.
You want to check the price of the tickets with other sellers to make sure you’re getting a fair deal.
4. Use safe payment methods
Another to not get scammed buying tickets on Facebook is to use a safe payment method. Make sure you use a safe method to pay for your tickets, such as PayPal or Facebook payment. Do not send the person the money as family and friends if you use PayPal. If they ask you to, it’s more likely a scam because family and friends are for all non-commercial activity between friends and family and you could lose your money to the scammer.
Don’t pay by wire transfer or cash—these methods aren’t safe and you won’t be able to do anything if the tickets aren’t real or sent at all.
Almost everyone I talked to who said they had tickets for sale wanted me to buy a gift card for that exact amount (from Amazon, Target, or Steam) and send them the code in exchange for the tickets. Don’t pay with a gift card no matter the seller’s promises.
If you decide to use Facebook for the payment, note that eligible purchases made with checkout on Facebook are covered by Purchase Protection, according to Facebook. Items exchanged in person using cash or other person-to-person payment methods are not eligible.
5. Get a receipt from them
Not necessary but make sure to try to get a receipt from the seller after you pay for your tickets. The name of the event, the date, the number of tickets, and the price should all be written on this receipt. If you don’t get a receipt, you should either ask for one or find a different seller on Facebook or other platforms.
6. Inspect the tickets
As a method not to get scammed buying tickets on Facebook, you want to inspect the purchased ticket. Before the event, check with the event organizer or the venue to make sure the tickets are valid.
You can either go to their website or call their customer service line to verify the ticket. Verifying the tickets will make sure they are still good and that you can go to the event. Some events allow you to transfer the tickets, so if you can’t transfer the ticket before the deadline, it’s a fake ticket such as a football ticket.
7. Report scammers to Facebook
If you’ve been scammed, it’s important to report it to Facebook and the right authorities about it. By reporting to Facebook about the scam, you can help keep other people from falling for it.
- Find the profile of the person you want to report.
- Click on the three dots (…) in the top right corner of their profile.
- Select “Find support or report profile.”
- Choose the reason you’re reporting the profile and follow the steps.
If you have been blocked by the scammer, ask a friend with a Facebook account to report the content using the Find Support or Report link near the post, photo, or comment.
Conclusion
It can be easy to not get scammed buying tickets on Facebook. Just follow the simple steps mentioned to prevent anyone from taking advantage or cutting short your potential great time at the event. In summary, do some research on the seller, use safe payment methods, and check the tickets.
