SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The first playoff game between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors is coming up fast and fans are running out of time to get tickets. Experts say scammers are out in full force trying to take advantage of the hype.
So, how can you make sure the ticket you’re buying is real?
“If it seems too good to be true, you need to verify your source,” said Celia Surridge with the Better Business Bureau.
According to TickPick, people are paying about $750 on average for a ticket into Game One at Golden 1 Center, nearly 8x higher than the average price for home game seating. Don’t celebrate just yet if you’re charged a lot less.
"It's really tempting to get some discounted tickets on Facebook or on social media but unless you personally know the individual you are buying from, I think that right now, it's not the time to be looking at social media for tickets,” said Surridge.
Because the ticket you think you scored might get you turned away on game night.
"It's going to be really easy for people to say that they have tickets and be faking it and just take your money and go,” she said.
So, to protect yourself, the BBB says to shop smart through venues like Ticketmaster and don’t fall prey to last-minute saving deals.
"Especially right now, everything is such a hot ticket so it's really important that you cover all of your bases. Try not to use cash so you have the paper trail… just make sure you're on high alert,” said Surridge.
If you already have your ticket, make sure it has the Kings' logo on it and a barcode.
All tickets should be digital, so if you see a scalper on the street trying to sell a paper ticket it’s more than likely not valid and you should trust your gut.
Coverage of Game 1 starts on ABC10 at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 15.
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