re: Got scammed by someone trolling this board...be careful

quote:

---

Guys

Do not buy tickets from anyone that you cannot do a person by person exchange or a process you are comfortable with.

---

Sorry to hear that buddy. I contacted a person posting on here saying they were in Atlanta and weren't going to be able to attend any games this year. All I had to do was pay them a deposit through Paypal and then I'd get the tickets in August when he received them. After insisting that he sign a contract, meet in person, that I wasn't paying half of the cost up front, and that all of the posters on TD.com would likely require the same thing he never contacted me again.
Funny thing is that the thread never got bumped again. It was a scammer.


So, here are some tips for you guys:
1. Require a face to face meeting. Even this doesn't guarantee that you won't get scammed. Just last year a few members on here were scammed by one guy. He met them all in person and still scammed them.
2. Get personal information. Name, phone number, etc. Don't just settle for an email address as a way to continue contact with the person. Phony emails take 3 minutes to set up.
3. Never pay more than a minimum deposit on the tickets when you won't have them in your hand for months. If the person is a season ticket holder, then they should be well off enough to pay their bills without having to receive a large portion of the payment up front. I'd consider a small non-refundable deposit acceptable. I personally wouldn't pay anyone more than 10% of the total cost of the tickets from LSU as a deposit and that's only if the first 2 tips are being followed.. That's around $50 -$100 per ticket depending on the seat location. A deposit shows good faith and that you are a serious buyer.
4. Request a contract. This may seem like an unescessary step betwen two adults, but trust me. This the internet. People aren't what they appear to be. A simple statement saying what the items being sold and the agreed upon purchase price should be sufficient. I'd make sure to include the number and location of the tickets being sold. For a seller it would be wise to include the date payment is due. It doesn't hurt to have the contract signed by both parties and notarized.
5. PAYPAL IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT YOU WON'T GET SCAMMED. The scammer that I encountered assured me that using Paypal would mean that we both couldn't be scammed. He would receive the payment and I could get a refund if he never delivered the tickets. This is partially true, but what he failed to mention was that Paypall only refunds money on disputed purchases up to 90 days after the sale. The scammer wanted me to pay half of the ticket price up front. This was in May. When I didn't receive my tickets in August like he promised I would have been disappointed if I tried to get my money back from Paypal.
6. Nothing works as well as a good old fashioned check. No wire transfers. No cash up front. No Paypal. No money orders. None of that. Post date the check so that it shouldn't be honored until the date written. This last tip is only my opinion.

I don't think any normal ticket seller would balk at these request. Remember that you are trying to protect yourself first and foremost. Let the seller make their own demands, but I wouldn't waiver on any of these tips. Good luck getting tickets for a reasonable price, guys.