Tips on how not to get caught by ticket scams
Friday, 4th June 2010.
Suffolk Trading Standards is backing a new campaign to increase consumer awareness of online ticket scams and how to avoid them.
The Office of Fair Trading's ‘Just Tick It’ campaign is warning festival-goers and sporting fans that summer events are also a peak time for scammers, conning people out of their cash by convincing online fake ticketing sites.
Research from the OFT indicates one in 12 ticket-buyers have been caught out by scam ticket websites, with victims losing an average of £80 each.
Matt Spall, trading standards officer, said; “Just Tick It will give consumers the valuable advice they need in order to protect themselves from scammers when buying online. By following our clear and simple advice on how to spot a scam, consumers can avoid becoming a victim.”
Platinum selling artist Kate Nash commented on a personal experience: “I remember last year a friend of mine bought a ticket for a festival. He’s a student and the tickets were around £200.
"He was so excited - he had been planning the whole trip for ages but two days before the festival the tickets still hadn’t arrived. He was so disappointed that he couldn’t go. He lost his money and his friends who had bought legitimate tickets and went without him.”
The ‘Just Tick It’ campaign urges concert-goers to tick off these simple tips from OFT managed advice service, Consumer Direct, to make sure they are buying genuine tickets.
You should ask yourself:
• How has the website obtained the tickets? (Check with the festival to find out when tickets are being released for sale and when the tickets will be sent out.)
• What are others saying about the website? (Search the internet to find out what other people’s experiences have been.)
• How can you contact the company? (Check that you know their full geographic address and check they have a working landline phone number.)
• Can they provide ticket details? (Ensure that the face value of the tickets and the seat location/festival area are clearly listed.)
• Do they provide refunds? (Make sure there is a refund policy in case something goes wrong.)
For more information about scam ticket websites and for details on how to protect yourself visit: www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ticketscams
You can also follow Suffolk Trading Standards on Twitter at www.twitter.com/suffolkts
The Office of Fair Trading's ‘Just Tick It’ campaign is warning festival-goers and sporting fans that summer events are also a peak time for scammers, conning people out of their cash by convincing online fake ticketing sites.
Research from the OFT indicates one in 12 ticket-buyers have been caught out by scam ticket websites, with victims losing an average of £80 each.
Matt Spall, trading standards officer, said; “Just Tick It will give consumers the valuable advice they need in order to protect themselves from scammers when buying online. By following our clear and simple advice on how to spot a scam, consumers can avoid becoming a victim.”
Platinum selling artist Kate Nash commented on a personal experience: “I remember last year a friend of mine bought a ticket for a festival. He’s a student and the tickets were around £200.
"He was so excited - he had been planning the whole trip for ages but two days before the festival the tickets still hadn’t arrived. He was so disappointed that he couldn’t go. He lost his money and his friends who had bought legitimate tickets and went without him.”
The ‘Just Tick It’ campaign urges concert-goers to tick off these simple tips from OFT managed advice service, Consumer Direct, to make sure they are buying genuine tickets.
You should ask yourself:
• How has the website obtained the tickets? (Check with the festival to find out when tickets are being released for sale and when the tickets will be sent out.)
• What are others saying about the website? (Search the internet to find out what other people’s experiences have been.)
• How can you contact the company? (Check that you know their full geographic address and check they have a working landline phone number.)
• Can they provide ticket details? (Ensure that the face value of the tickets and the seat location/festival area are clearly listed.)
• Do they provide refunds? (Make sure there is a refund policy in case something goes wrong.)
For more information about scam ticket websites and for details on how to protect yourself visit: www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ticketscams
You can also follow Suffolk Trading Standards on Twitter at www.twitter.com/suffolkts
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