With the Phillies heading into their fourth straight Red October, the Eagles undefeated at 3-0, the Union leading the East, and the Sixers and Flyers about to begin their seasons, demand for tickets is surging across the city.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is cautioning fans to be vigilant when buying tickets online, warning that scammers are exploiting sold-out games and high demand to target buyers eager to get into the stadiums.
“Sports fans are passionate and want to see their beloved teams in person — but we are advising consumers to be very careful when purchasing tickets from secondary markets online,” Sunday said. “Tickets to Eagles and Steelers games are in very high demand, and scammers use that to their advantage.”
With demand for tickets running high, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is urging fans to be cautious. Officials say buyers should approach anyone selling tickets to a popular event with skepticism, especially when the game is likely to sell out.
If purchasing from an individual, the AG’s office recommends dealing only with people you know—such as relatives, close friends, or coworkers. Consumers are also advised to avoid paying strangers through peer-to-peer services like Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, or wire transfer, which offer little protection if the tickets turn out to be fake.
Additionally, when shopping for tickets, check the venue’s floor chart for the event to ensure that the section and seat number actually exist. When buying tickets from a reputable seller, such as Ticketmaster or StubHub, make sure that the URL is the correct one, and not for a look-alike site created by a scammer.
AG Sunday’s office is asking individuals to report existing or potential ticket scams and file a complaint at attorneygeneral.gov or by calling 717-787-3391.
