NBA Finals: 4 ways to avoid Nuggets ticket scams

DENVER (KDVR) — Jay Johnson said he’s been a Denver Nuggets fan since he was a child. It is his dream to watch his home team play in the NBA finals.

“Go Nuggets! We beat the Lakers,” Johnson said.

Many hoping to see the Denver Nuggets play in the NBA Finals are finding it difficult to find tickets.

“Oh yes, we’ll try to get at least two,” longtime fan Valerie Connor said.

Resale websites are offering some legitimate tickets, but consumer watchdog groups warn that crooks are hoping to make a slam dunk when it comes to selling counterfeit tickets.

Danny Katz, executive director of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, warned that big-ticket events are attractive to fraudsters.

“A huge game like the Denver Nuggets going to the finals, those are times when we all get so excited and we’re almost willing to do anything to see this game or to see this concert,” Katz said. “And when we’re in that mindset, then it’s really ripe for us to be tricked or be scammed.”

Here are ways to ensure you can enjoy a big event without getting scammed.

1. Use verified ticket websites

Protecting your money begins with only buying from legitimate sellers, Katz said.

“If you don’t know the person, don’t buy it from an individual,” Katz said.

CoPIRG warns that fans should only use verified ticket sales websites.

“Go through a more trusted retail website that has actual policies around if there’s a counterfeit ticket you’ll actually get your money back,” said Katz, who noted Ticketmaster, StubHub and Vivid Seats as examples of established ticket sellers.

2. Research the ticket website

Every website should be researched and checked for misspelled words or questionable grammar, which sometimes appear on copycat websites.

“One way to look is to see if there’s any reviews of those sites to see how long those sites have been around to see if they’re selling tickets to other (events) as well,” Katz said.

Keep in mind: Even if you don’t pay any money to a suspicious website, scammers may have access to your personal information.

3. Don’t post photos of your ticket online

CoPIRG told the Problem Solvers fans should never take a picture of their ticket and post it online. Scammers can use the code in the image to reproduce hundreds of fake tickets and sell them.