With Super Bowl 53 inching closer and closer, the market is ripe for scammers.
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"Year after year, the Super Bowl has always been an event where scams are recurrent," Paula Fleming, a chief marketing and sales officer for the Better Business Bureau, said in a news release. "With so many fans looking to support their team, it's the perfect money-making opportunity for scammers."
As of Monday morning, tickets for the mega football event at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Feb. 3 averaged between $3,450 and $6,800, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Tim Tucker reported.
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To avoid falling victim to pick-pocketing scammers, the Better Business Bureau warns against wiring money or paying with a cashier's check when shopping for tickets for the big game. Other tips to keep in mind:
- It's best to purchase tickets from secure websites, one "with the padlock on the page and 'https' at the start of the page's web address."
- If you're buying from a legitimate and accredited reseller (a ticket broker), look them up on BBB.com and check if other customers have worked with them. Also, be sure to ask where the seller is located and how they can be contacted after the sale. "If the seller is elusive, don't pursue the offer," according to the BBB.
- You can also check if a seller or broker is a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers. NATM members offer a 200 percent guarantee on tickets that don't arrive in time.
- Before completing the purchase with a ticket broker, ask for a photo of the tickets to ensure the seats actually exist.
- If you think the ticket you bought is a counterfeit, report it to the NATB and file a complaint with your local BBB.
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