LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Scammers are posing as popular, local events to intice people into buying festival tickets they’ll never receive.

Kathryn Mobley, CEO of the Better Business Bureau Serving Acadiana, said scammers are making Facebook event pages posing as popular events, telling people they can buy tickets on social media instead of the actual website.

“Social media seems to be the way that the scammers are really getting people the easiest,” Mobley said.

Sometimes, they even create a phony event website similar to the official one.

“It’s kind of hard because there may be an actual event,” Mobley said. “They’ll create another event that you think is real.”

Scammers are even pretending to be real people who resell tickets on social media.

“They even send them fake receipts and fake tickets,” Mobley said. “So, you actually think you really signed up. Then, when people get there, it’s not a legitimate ticket.”

Either way, you never receive a ticket for the event.

Here is how you can spot fake festival ticket scams:

• Research before you buy. Ensure the name advertised matches the website. Scammers often use names that sound similar to those of real festivals.
• Check for working contact information. The festival should have a working phone number or email address.
• Watch out for ‘too good to be true’ prices. If the price is way lower on social media than anywhere else, chances are it’s a scam. Venues can’t afford to sell largely discounted tickets without losing money.
• Avoid tickets sold on Craigslist or Facebook. Scammers often send fake receipts and fake tickets, so purchase directly from the venue or event organizer.

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