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.

BBB Warns - Be on the lookout for bogus Vikings tickets

Scammers may run fakes past fans before home opener

Burnsville, MN – September 16, 2015 – With the NFL season underway and the Minnesota Vikings home opener just around the corner, Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is warning fans to watch out for scammers that might be trying to peddle counterfeit tickets online and outside the stadium right up until the opening kickoff. BBB reminds everyone that they run the risk of getting thrown for a big loss if they decide to gamble on a less than reputable ticket source. 

 “We hear too often about fans who thought they were going to get into the stadium only to discover they’ve bought phony tickets online or from scalpers,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “We’re reminding everyone it’s important to watch out for fake handoffs before the game, and not just this week but every week.”

To avoid getting ripped off buying game tickets, BBB recommends you:

• Choose a reputable online ticket broker. Visit the official NFL online ticket exchange at nfl.com/tickets. When purchasing tickets through any other online brokers, look for the BBB seal on their website and research them online at bbb.org. Review the company’s track record and what their policy is if tickets purchased through their site are fake or not as advertised. When buying tickets online, ideally pay with a credit card because that form of payment offers consumer protections debit cards generally don’t provide.

·         Be leery of buying from scalpers at the event. Buying tickets near the venue on game day can be a game of roulette. The seats may be just as advertised or you might find yourself outside the stadium and also out whatever money you paid. Keep in mind that scammers have gotten quite good at counterfeiting tickets.

• Never wire money to someone you don’t know. If you find an out of town seller online that claims to have tickets to the game, be careful. Any request by the seller to have you wire money to pay for the tickets should be the big red flag that makes you walk away. This is virtually always the sign of a scam.

On their website, the Vikings offer these additional tips:

• Always check with the Vikings Ticket Office or the ticket booths to see if tickets are available. Oftentimes the visiting team may return tickets on the day of the game.
• Never buy an Eticket or TicketFast ticket (printed on 81/2” x 11” paper) from anyone! Most counterfeits are Etickets or TicketFast tickets. If you purchase Vikings tickets from an unauthorized source you run the risk that it is fake.

·         Ask the person who is selling tickets on the street if you could take a picture of him/her with their valid ID before the transaction. If they refuse, move on.

Finally, apply common sense. Tickets for the best seats and the big games are in high demand because they’re hard to get. The chances of you getting lucky and finding an unbelievable deal are slim. If a situation sounds too good to be true, such as someone selling tickets for much less than they’re being offered elsewhere, the offer is probably not on the level.

Complainants say PerfectTix.com has Spotty Record of Customer Service

Burnsville, Minnesota – October 3, 2013 – The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is issuing an alert about PerfectTix.com, an online ticket broker based in downtown Minneapolis. The BBB has given the company an “F” rating due to a pattern of complaints involving customer service and seven complaints being closed as unanswered.

“People turn to this company – and others like it – when they’re desperate to see a game, a theater production or a performer in concert,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “However, the secondary ticket market generally always involves increased costs and, sometimes, increased risk.”

On their website, PerfectTix.com states they “specialize in hard to get concert tickets for “Sold Out” shows and sporting events.” Complaints against the company allege that the cost of tickets purchased were higher than expected due to service fees and undisclosed taxes – which some customers state weren’t assessed until after the original credit card transaction had closed. In some cases, customers state they were quoted a ‘per ticket’ price and then discovered later that the quoted costs did not include service fees. Some complainants allege their calls and emails to the company were not returned. Others allege they were treated rudely by company personnel.

PerfectTix.com has responded to and resolved three of the ten complaints filed against them. In their responses, the company stated that in some cases they’re acting as a broker and any service fees assessed were assessed by the third party entity the tickets were actually purchased from. They also cited a policy they say all customers agree to wherein all sales are final.

When searching for tickets at a given venue online, consumers should make sure they’re visiting the official website for that venue. Sometimes general Internet searches will bring you to secondary ticket websites which may sell tickets to games or performances at that particular venue, but are not directly associated with them. These tickets will generally always cost more.

Consumers should also be aware that prices for tickets purchased on the secondary market can be significantly higher than the ticket's actual face value. The BBB recommends that potential customers thoroughly review and understand the policies on pricing, cancellation, refunds and service fees before making a commitment to purchase.

Other tips for consumers searching online for event tickets include:

Research the company at bbb.org

Before buying from an online ticket broker, look for the BBB logo on the website and click on it to make sure it is real. The BBB’s dynamic seal should take you directly to the BBB Business Review. Shoppers should always look in the address box for the “s” in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the “lock” symbol before paying. 

If you buy tickets through an online auction site, choose a seller with a long history of satisfied customers. Scammers can hijack old accounts, so make sure the seller has recently sold other tickets. 

Ticket buyers also should be wary of sellers who try to lure buyers from a legitimate site to another site for a “private” transaction. Scammers often want to conduct their business on sites with names that mimic well-known companies but are actually fakes.

If you are buying tickets through an online classified ad site, never pay the seller by wire transfer. You will have no way to get your money back if the tickets do not arrive or are counterfeit.