Officials warn of ticket scams ahead of NFC Championship

ATLANTA — Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brian Kemp are warning Falcons fans about football ticket scams in preparation for Sunday's NFC Championship game.

The Atlanta Falcons will host the Green Bay Packers for the title.

Demand for tickets is high, and officials said scammers are already exploiting that through the sale of fake, void or stolen tickets.

Fans may lose money in the scams and may also become victims of identity theft if they give scammers their personal or financial information.

Here are some tips from Carr and Kemp on how to avoid becoming a victim:

• Buy tickets from reputable sites such as NFL.com, Ticketmaster.com or atlantafalcons.com/tickets. If you choose another company, check to see if they are accredited with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org).
• Note that ticket brokers in Georgia must be registered with the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission and must include license number in any Internet broadcast or print advertising.
• Be especially wary of buying tickets through Craigslist ads.
• Using a credit card offers greater protections against fraud than cash or debit cards.
• Avoid wiring money to the seller, as this is often an indication of a scam.
• If purchasing tickets online, make sure the website begins with the prefix https://. This indicated that transactions are encrypted and protected against being intercepted by third parties.
• Be wary of deals that sound too good to be true. Scammers often try to lure consumers into turning over their money by offering tickets or merchandise at below-market rates.
• Protect your identity by refraining from posting pictures of your tickets online or on social media. Scammers can easily take the barcodes of an online post and use them to create fraudulent tickets and steal personal information.

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"This Sunday, I do not want a single Falcons fan to get cheated out of going to the last football game at the Georgia Dome," Kemp said. "Be vigilant when buying tickets so you don't miss this important matchup."

To verify a ticket broker's license, visit sos.ga.gov, click on "Licensing"  and then "Search for a Licensee."

To file a complaint against a ticket broker, contact the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission at 404-656-2868 or soscontact@sos.ga.gov.

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