Police warn of BCS ticket fraud

Let the buyer beware!

That’s the message Louisiana State Police and LSU Police would like to trumpet before the BCS National Championship as they anticipate the presence of ticket scams.

With the high demand for tickets to the Jan. 7 game between LSU and Ohio State, detectives advise football fans to exercise caution when making a purchase.

According to Louisiana State Police Sgt. Markus L. Smith, thieves can take advantage of computer technology to victimize unsuspecting buyers who purchase tickets over the Internet or off parking-lot scalpers.

“People are so desperate to go to certain games (such as the BCS Championship) so they buy them (tickets) any way they can,” Smith said. “The problem is that you don’t really know who to trust.”

If purchasing tickets online, Smith encourages people to verify the authenticity of the Web site they are visiting, as thieves have the ability to create false sites that appear legitimate.

Verification can be achieved by checking the Web site certificate of authenticity or through help from reputable companies such as Verisign.

It’s also advised to avoid using wire transfers and other unusual payment requests on auction sites and to avoid sending payments to sellers who use post office boxes.

LSU Police worked on ticket-scam cases during the LSU-Florida game.

Smith recommends a safe approach.

“The best way to purchase tickets is through the LSU Athletic Department or through legitimate ticket outlets you can trust such as TicketMaster,” he said. “We (police) just want people to be careful. We don’t want to see them become victims.”