Vikings, MPD and BBB Warn Fans of Counterfeit Tickets

Burnsville, MN (January 9, 2017)– The Minnesota Vikings, in partnership with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB), remind fans to be aware of counterfeit or fraudulent tickets circulating prior to Sunday’s Division Playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. These tickets are typically sold over the Internet or offered by ticket sellers near U.S. Bank Stadium on game days.

Because of the Vikings ticket-scanning process, if a fan purchases a counterfeit ticket, he/she may not be able to access the stadium and could be subject to an investigation. If a person is already in the stadium and is caught in possession of a fraudulent ticket, he/she will be ejected and could be subject to arrest.

The only authorized outlets for Vikings tickets are the Vikings Ticket Office, Ticketmaster and the NFL TicketExchange. Purchasing tickets from any other source is done at the buyer’s risk and ticket selling on U.S. Bank Stadium property is illegal.

The Vikings, the MPD and BBB offer fans the following tips:

On Game Day:

·         Always check with the Vikings Ticket Office to see if tickets are available via visiting team and fan returns.

·         The Vikings have two types of authorized tickets: digital tickets accessible through the Vikings mobile app or printed (8.5” x 11”) PDF tickets. Do NOT purchase any Vikings tickets sold on hard ticket stock.

·         Take your time. Scrutinize the tickets closely for inaccuracies or alterations. Cross-check the seat assignment and prices with a stadium map found on the Vikings mobile app.

·         Ask the seller to take a photo with their valid ID prior to the transaction. Ask him/her to walk to the stadium gates with you to ensure the tickets are scanned. If they refuse, move on.

Buying Tickets Online:

·         Only the Vikings Ticket Office, Ticketmaster and the NFL TicketExchange can guarantee the ticket you purchase online will be valid to attend the event.

·         When searching for tickets through online brokers on the secondary market, always look for the BBB Online seal and click on the link to ensure that it is valid. Research the company at bbb.org and be clear on the company’s policy if tickets purchased through the site are fake or not as advertised.

·         When buying from an individual through an online exchange don’t be lured away from the web site by the seller. Even if you met the seller on the exchange web site, the company may not guarantee any lost money if a transaction occurs outside its domain. If you buy tickets through an online auction, choose a seller with a long, continuous history of satisfied customers. Scammers can hijack old accounts, so make sure they have recently bought or sold other items.

·         Only pay with a credit card or through PayPal, which offers some protection and potential reimbursement. Never pay with a cashier’s check, gift cards or wire money to a seller; you’ll have no way to retrieve your money if the tickets do not arrive.

For more information or for media interviews with a member of the Minnesota Vikings, the Minneapolis Police Department or Better Business Bureau, please contact Vikings Executive Director of Communications Jeff Anderson at andersonj@vikings.nfl.net or 952.828.6570, Minneapolis Police Department Public Information Officer Scott Seroka at scott.seroka@minneapolismn.gov or 612.673.3524 or Communications Manager for BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota Dan Hendrickson at dan.hendrickson@thefirstbbb.org or 651.695.2463.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

Burnsville, Minnesota– October 12, 2017 –October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a great time for both citizens and businesses to take stock of their online security measures. Cyber threats targeting personal and business interests continue to increase and it’s important to take whatever steps you can to secure your technology, data and personal information. Better Business Bureau® of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) offers tips for individuals and businesses to consider implementing.

“We know there’s no way to completely guarantee one’s safety from online threats,” said Susan Adams Loyd, President and CEO of BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “But we also know there are ways you can decrease your exposure.”

For consumers, the best ways to stay safe online include:

·         Protecting your computer – A computer should always have the most recent updates installed for spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a secure firewall.

·         Avoiding suspicious links and attachments – Scammers often seek to spread malware and viruses via email, sometimes sending emails from friends or relatives whose accounts have been hacked. Don’t click on any suspicious links or attachments – especially ZIP files. Even from people you know.

·         Sticking to trustworthy websites – Check on the seller’s reputation and record for customer satisfaction at bbb.org. Look for the BBB seal and other widely-recognized “trust marks” on retailer websites. Always remember to click on the seals to confirm that they are valid.

·         Guarding your personal information – Take the time to read the privacy policy of websites you visit and understand what personal information is being collected and how it will be used. If you don’t see one posted, be aware your information may be sold to others without your permission.

·         Confirming your online purchases are secure – Shoppers should always look in their web address bar for the “s” in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the “lock” symbol before paying.

BBB also offers tips on cyber safety for businesses, as well:

·         Watch out for spear-phishing attacks – Scammers will sometime create emails which appear to be from a top company official and request cash transfers or sensitive personal information of company employees. Have a failsafe system in place and train your employees to verify all such requests.

·         Be wary of suspicious links and attachments – Just as they do with consumers, scammers often seek to infiltrate business databases by sending emails containing links or attachments which could download dangerous malware. It’s important to have a secure firewall and strong spam filters. When in doubt, suspect emails should be reviewed by IT professionals.

·         Take inventory of the types of data your business collects - If you collect data that can be reasonably linked to a specific customer, computer or device (e.g., cookie data), consider it personal data. Classify information according to privacy risk, paying particular attention to sensitive categories such as Social Security numbers, credit card or other financial information, and location data.

·         Scale down - Collect and store only the data you need to run your business and to meet legal requirements. You may be able to eliminate data elements you don’t need by changing default settings in your online forms or database software. Remember, you have a responsibility to protect all personal data you collect, so limit your burden and your risk.

·         Lock it up - Review your data security practices to ensure you’re protecting customer data from identity theft and cyber threats.

For further details on different ways small businesses can secure their data and the personal and financial information of their stakeholders, visit bbb.org/council/for-businesses/toolkits/data-privacy-for-small-businesses/.

Visitors to Tettegouche S.P. advised to watch credit card accounts

State IT security specialists discovered malware (malicious software) on state computers at Tettegouche State Park in Silver Bay, Minnesota, Aug. 25.

Even though the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has no evidence that credit card numbers were accessed, out of an abundance of caution, it is advising those who visited the park and charged items from Aug. 22-25 to review their credit card accounts for suspicious activity.

About 400 credit card transactions took place at the park during this period. The DNR is unable to access credit card customer personal information, so is unable to contact those who made the transactions.

The DNR is advising that visitors who charged items at the park during this period monitor their credit card accounts for any unusual activity and report their concerns to their credit card issuer. Issuers have been alerted to the incident. Visitors should also be wary of any email communications from the DNR that request personal information.

The virus was isolated to computers at the park. No other DNR or state IT systems were affected, including the state park reservation system and the DNR website. Customers should not worry that their park reservation data was compromised.

IT experts noticed a spike of unusual activity on the computers around 4 p.m. on Aug. 25 and initiated actions to isolate the site, protect sensitive data, and replace equipment. The state is currently conducting a full forensic analysis to learn more about what happened.

DNR staff are working closely with Minnesota IT Services to aggressively investigate this incident and to discover if any sensitive information was accessed.