The Better Business Bureau says it is seeing an increase in festival scams.
According to reports from the BBB, people are seeing real events on sites like Facebook, but once they buy the ticket, the page disappears, and their money is gone.
People reporting these scams say while the event is real, the social media page listings and ads are not.
Most of the time, the days listed for the fake event don’t match up.
To avoid this, the BBB says research before you buy.
Check the date and the name. Sometimes scammers use names that sound similar to real festivals.
You also want to check the contact. Make sure the festival website has a real phone number and email address.
Also, watch out for prices that seem too good to be true.
Some other things to protect yourself: Use a credit card and look for a secure site. You want to see HTTPS and a little lock symbol on the address bar.
If you can, the BBB also recommends that you avoid buying tickets sold on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other free online listings.
