Avoid Super Bowl Scams: 4 Tips For Ohio Football Fans

OHIO — The Cincinnati Bengals are in the Super Bowl — but traveling with the team to Los Angeles could be rife with danger.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost believes Ohioans could be targeted by scammers looking to make a quick buck off of ardent Bengals supporters. He advises all football fans to be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true.

“The cheap seats start at $6,000, so if someone is claiming to get you in the stadium for significantly less, you should challenge that call,” Yost said in a statement. “Con artists are out there, and fake tickets will always exist. Although no scamming has been reported to my office, Ohioans should be on the defensive when looking at Super Bowl tickets.”

Yost's office offered the following advice for avoiding Super Bowl ticket scams.

• Beware anything that seems "too good to be true"because it probably is.

Second-hand ticket sellers may explain why they need to sell their tickets quickly and cheaply, but that could be a sign they're peddling fake merchandise. Be cautious.

• Be cautious when dealing with third-party ticket sellers.

Try to limit your business deals to reputable, well-known companies instead of third-party individuals not associated with the Super Bowl. Also, pay close attention to websites that may be impersonating another company's site. Look for fake NFL or sponsor logos. Research who you're doing business with. Search the seller's name, username, email, address, phone number or other identifying information.

Even if you don't find concerning results, be cautious. Con artists change their names frequently, Yost's office said.

• Look out for sellers who demand a change in payment.

Be very skeptical of ticket sellers who want you to pay them via wire transfers, cash or gift cards. Those methods of payment are difficult for law enforcement to trace. If you're using Venmo, Zelle or other payment app, research what protections the app offers customers.

• Pay with a credit card, if you can.

"If a problem arises, you generally have greater protections and the ability to dispute charges on a credit card, unlike some other payment methods," Yost's office said.

Ohioans who feel they've been scammed should contact the Ohio Attorney General's Office online or by calling 800-282-0515. Suspicious Craigslist ads can also be directly reported to the Office online.