Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has issued a warning to people about fake March Madness tickets ahead of first and second round games at Little Caesars Arena this weekend.
- Michigan State earns #3 seed for NCAA Tournament, spot in Detroit
- Michigan earns #3 seed in NCAA Tournament, will play #14 seed Montana
The games at LCA kick off on Friday morning and the second round games are on Sunday.
Michigan State is one of the teams that will play at LCA Detroit this weekend.
According to Schuette, there are several things people should look out for when it comes to buying tickets online.
"Some people are willing to spend top dollar on travel far and wide to see their favorite team compete in the biggest basketball tournament of the year,” Schuette said. “Michigan consumers should do their research and know the false sales tactics before making any purchases. You could be signing yourself up for counterfeit tickets or identity theft.”
Those tips include:
- Know your vendor: If you purchase tickets online, make sure you are buying from a reputable website, especially before providing any personal financial information. Anyone can set up a "spoof" website and make it seem like it is the official website of a legitimate venue or ticket outlet. Counterfeiting is also a common problem on websites that function as online classified postings. When using such sites, consumers should be especially wary of tickets that are listed for sale "by owner," as these tickets are brokered by individual purchasers rather than official venues.
- Do your research. If you are unfamiliar with a ticket vendor, you can call the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-765-8388 and ask if we have any complaints on file regarding that seller. Remember, however, that the absence of filed complaints does not guarantee a seller's legitimacy; it simply means that we have not received any complaints concerning the vendor.
- Use credit. If you purchase tickets online, especially through an online auction site, it is recommended that you complete your transaction using a credit card. Using a credit card gives you the ability to dispute a charge for an event cancellation, or if you receive counterfeit tickets a venue refuses to honor. Choose sellers with histories of satisfied customers, and make sure the online bid amount is listed in American dollars.
- Shop securely. If a website begins with "https," the "s" indicates that the website is "secure" when you access the order page of the site where you are asked to enter your personal information. Another indicator of a secure website is an image of a closed lock located at the bottom of your screen. Secure websites take precautions to ensure that others cannot see and copy the personal information you provide.
- Inspect your tickets. Physically inspect your tickets if you purchase them through a third-party source. The venue may also offer feedback about unique features of authentic tickets. Examine the tickets for discrepancies, including text misspellings, official hologram omissions, and bar code irregularities. Remember, if you're getting a deal that seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Anyone with a complaint regarding tickets bought online, you can contact the AG's consumer protection division at 517-373-1140 or 877-765-8388.
