As the 15-0 Indiana Hoosiers head to the national college football championship game on Monday, fans are understandably elated. And many are making last-minute efforts to find a way to make it to Miami to watch the historic contest in person.
Amid all the euphoria, however, Attorney General Todd Rokita is warning individuals searching for tickets not to fall victim to scams.
“Fraudsters are always using moments like this to prey on fans’ raw excitement and turn joy into financial loss,” Attorney General Rokita said. “The massive hype surrounding Indiana’s historic unbeaten season and shot at a first-ever national championship creates the perfect environment for their deceptive schemes. With kickoff against Miami just days away, everyone must stay sharp to avoid these predators and keep the focus on celebrating what could be a truly historic victory. Stay safe and go Hoosiers!”
To avoid scams, Attorney General Rokita offers the following tips:
Buy directly from official sources. In this case, that’s directly from Indiana University, a verified vendor, or through a proven third-party ticket seller.
Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true. (They probably are.) Do your homework and be knowledgeable about the prices being paid to attend the event. Review the range of prices on legitimate platforms and look up media reports about the costs of entry. If you find prices lower than those you’re generally seeing in your research, be deeply suspicious.
Be wary of unsolicited offers to sell tickets through text, direct messages, email or social media.
Be suspicious of attempts by the seller to receive off-platform payments.
If you purchase tickets, you should receive them shortly after a purchase. Be wary of promises to deliver tickets shortly before the event.
Use the secure payment method of a credit card — avoiding paying with cash, debit cards, wire transfers or through odd methods such as gift cards.
Avoid instant payment methods such as Venmo or Zelle with strangers. (Such payments are final.)
Use only payment websites that have “https” at the beginning of website addresses (URLs). The “s” stands for “secure.”
Look for slight misspellings in URLs, which indicate a scammer is imitating a legitimate site.
Check event details on tickets, confirming that time, date, seats and rows match what you would expect to see.
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, file a consumer complaint online at indianaconsumer.com or call 317-232-6330.
For more information on avoiding scams, visit the Indiana Attorney General’s website at www.in.gov/attorneygeneral.
Finally, once you’ve taken the appropriate precautions, enjoy the game!
