Scams rise ahead of Super Bowl. How to spot them
A word of warning to sports fans everywhere: be careful where you buy your goods. This is a warning coming from government agencies and officially licensed businesses as the Super Bowl approaches. Counterfeit items are flooding the market ahead of high-profile sporting events, and it was a message shared by Arizona authorities on Wednesday as they announced seizures of over 180,000 counterfeit items. The items were valued at an estimated $22.7 million, according to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. “As thousands of fans arrive in Phoenix for Super Bowl 57, CBP is working diligently behind the scenes to target and confiscate imports of counterfeit NFL merchandise,” said Pete Flores, executive assistant commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. There are ways for fans to know when a deal is too good to be true and when to spot a scam before it happens. Here are a few tips shared by authorities to help you educate yourself before you buy. Only shop at trusted retail stores. But when you shop locally or online, rely on trusted places that stock officially licensed clothing and memorabilia. Stores like Rally House, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Nike Storefronts house authentic NFL gear from your favorite teams. Fanatics, an official partner of the NFL and other major sports leagues, is an online store that sells licensed sporting goods and also provides tips on how to spot a fake NFL jersey. Inferior stitching, poor color schemes, inconsistent sizing, and the lack of authentic tags or holograms are just a few of the telltale signs Fanatics are warning consumers about when looking for their favorite player’s authentic jersey. Only buy from established, trusted ticket sources. There will be buyers out there trying to make you believe that you are about to get an amazing deal to watch the Super Bowl or some other year-round sporting event. For this reason, it’s important that you only purchase event tickets from established sources such as Ticketmaster’s NFL Ticket Exchange. “Remember that tickets for Super Bowl LVII will all be digital and will require the use of specific apps,” authorities say. “No fixed stock tickets will be sold.” Other well-established ticket retailers include StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticket City, and Vivid Seats. Jeff Rossen, Chief National Consumer Correspondent, went into depth on how to fight Super Bowl ticket fraud. You can see the tricks he shared by clicking here. Check your online bank statements Authorities are warning that sports fans should check their online bank statements when purchasing memorabilia and tickets. They urge consumers to keep records of purchases and copies of confirmation pages so they can compare them to bank statements. “If there is a discrepancy, consumers should report it immediately.” Finally, you should always be careful when shopping online. Authorities warn that people trying to scam you often use legitimate product photos on their websites or in their listing to make you believe the product you are receiving is authentic when they are selling a counterfeit item.
A warning to all sports fans: be careful where you buy your goods.
This is a warning coming from government agencies and officially licensed businesses as the Super Bowl approaches. Counterfeit items are flooding the market ahead of high-profile sporting events, and it was a message shared by Arizona authorities on Wednesday as they announced seizures of over 180,000 counterfeit items.
The items were valued at an estimated $22.7 million, according to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
“As thousands of fans arrive in Phoenix for Super Bowl 57, CBP is working diligently behind the scenes to target and confiscate imports of counterfeit NFL merchandise,” said Pete Flores, Executive Assistant Commissioner for Customs and Border Protection.
There are ways for fans to know when a deal is too good to be true and when to spot a scam before it happens.
Here are a few tips from authorities so you know before you make a purchase.
Only shop at trusted retail stores
A downtown Phoenix convention center has plenty of Super Bowl memorabilia as part of the NFL’s convergence in Arizona for the big game.
But when you shop locally or online, rely on trusted places that stock officially licensed clothing and memorabilia.
Shops like Rally House, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike Storefronts house authentic NFL gear from your favorite teams.
Fanatics, an official partner of the NFL and other major sports leagues, is an online store that sells licensed sporting goods and also provides tips on how to spot a fake NFL jersey.
Inferior stitching, poor color schemes, inconsistent sizing, and the lack of authentic tags or holograms are just a few of the telltale signs Fanatics are warning consumers about when looking for their favorite player’s authentic jersey.
Only buy from established, trusted ticket sources
There will be buyers out there trying to trick you into believing that you are about to get an amazing deal to watch the Super Bowl or some other year-round sporting event.
For this reason, it’s important that you only purchase event tickets from established sources such as Ticketmaster’s NFL Ticket Exchange.
“Remember that tickets for Super Bowl LVII will all be digital and will require the use of specific apps,” authorities say. “No fixed stock tickets will be sold.”
Other well-established ticket retailers include StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticket City, and Vivid Seats.
Jeff Rossen, Chief National Consumer Correspondent, went into depth on how to fight Super Bowl ticket fraud. You can see the tricks he shared by clicking here.
Check your online bank statements
Authorities warn that sports fans should check their online bank statements when purchasing memorabilia and tickets.
They urge consumers to keep records of purchases and copies of confirmation pages so they can compare them to bank statements.
“If there is a discrepancy, consumers should report it immediately.”
Finally, you should always be careful when shopping online. Authorities warn that people trying to scam you often use legitimate product photos on their websites or in their listing to make you believe the product you are receiving is authentic when they are selling a counterfeit item.