Fans looking for SEC Championship tickets told to be alert for scams

ATLANTA – With a highly anticipated rematch between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers already sold out for Saturday at Mercedes Benz Stadium, Georgia officials say they don’t want fans to get sacked financially by ticket scams as they try to obtain tickets to the SEC Championship game that also will have national title implications.

Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brian Kemp on Monday warned about ticket scams as fans attempt to secure tickets on the secondary market, creating an opportunity for scammers to exploit them through the sale of fake, void or stolen tickets.

Worse than losing money, consumers also can become victims of identity theft if they give a scammer their personal or financial information, the officials said.

“Football fans, Secretary of State Brian Kemp and I share your excitement to watch UGA battle it out on the gridiron against Auburn,” Carr said. “If you are making preparations to attend the big game, we want to be sure you understand the possibility of ticket scams.

“Please protect yourself to avoid becoming a victim of these malicious practices.”

Kemp said consumers have to be alert to possible scams.

“Ticket scams are on the rise in Georgia with con artists eager to steal your money,” Kemp said. “Be vigilant when you buy tickets to the game. We do not want to see anyone get duped out of going to this important match-up.”

Both encouraged fans to only buy tickets from reputable site. They said consumers should check to see if the seller is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org). Another good idea is to search the internet for complaints and online reviews about the business.

They also noted that ticket brokers in Georgia must be registered with the Georgia Athletic & Entertainment Commission and must include their license number in any internet, broadcast or print advertising.

Other tips include:

— Be especially wary of buying tickets through Craigslist ads;

— Using a credit card on a reputable site offers greater protections against fraud than cash or debit cards;

— Using a credit card through a non-reputable site will put your information at risk;

— Don’t wire money to a seller, which is often an indication of a scam;

— If purchasing tickets online, make sure the website begins with the prefix https://, which indicates transactions are encrypted and protected against being intercepted by third parties;

— Be wary of deals that sound too good to be true; scammers try to lure consumers into turning over their money by offering tickets or merchandise at below-market rates;

— Protect your identity by refraining from posting pictures of your tickets online or on social media. Scammers can easily take the barcodes of an online post and use them to create fraudulent tickets and steal personal information.

To verify a ticket broker’s license, visit sos.ga.gov, click on “Licensing,” and then “Search for a Licensee.” To file a complaint against a ticket broker, contact the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission at (404) 656-2868 or [email protected].