With the Seattle Seahawks and the University of Washington advancing to the playoffs and Washington State University playing in the Holiday Bowl Dec. 27, Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest is reminding fans to be mindful of fraudsters selling fake tickets and counterfeit merchandise.
The Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau reports counterfeiting as one of the fastest growing economic crimes, accounting for $600 billion in global trade a year. In February, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents seized more than 350 counterfeit NFL-related items in Denver, Colorado. Money made off fake merchandise can be used to fund drug trafficking, illegal gun purchases and other criminal activity.
BBB reminds football fans to be wary of too-good-to-be-true deals and to exercise caution when buying playoff tickets or merchandise.
- Don’t fumble. Avoid shady transactions where sellers fail to provide contact information or prefer to conduct business in private. Never wire money or fill up a pre-paid debit card as a method of payment.
- Spot the pump fake. Know how an actual playoff ticket looks and feels. Steer clear of tickets printed on flimsy paper, with smeared ink and uneven margins. When in doubt, just walk away.
- Stiff-arm scammers. Be alert for counterfeit merchandise sold at cheap prices. Remember, official NFL gear can only be sold by authorized retailers.
- Be on the defense. Watch for pop-up street vendors, online auctions and other questionable sources. Check with bbb.org first before making a purchase.
- Avoid the false start. Look for BBB’s seal when buying tickets from an online broker. Use verifiable ticket sellers and resellers that hold vendors responsible for ticket authenticity.
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a counterfeit scam should contact their local law enforcement and report it to BBB Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker.
