One woman’s quest for Seahawks tickets turns into nightmare

KitsapGuy · Nov 30, 2013

TUKWILA — A woman’s dream to take her family to a highly anticipated Seahawks game turned into a nightmare.

Her quest for great seats led her straight to a con artist.

She bought two tickets from a man to see the Seahawks play the Saints on Monday night — but the tickets turned out to be fake. And she doesn’t want others to make the same mistake.

She wants to keep her name private, but not her story.

“It’s an expensive lesson,” she said.

With all home games sold out, she thought Craigslist was the answer.

“This is section 128, row LL seats 11 and 12.”

Those specific seats were up for sale on Craigslist. She called the man listed on the ad named Jim and hours later the two met and the tickets were in her hand.

“They are hard copy tickets, but they are fake,” she said.

They looked real and she paid $225 for each. Other, similar tickets are going for more than double that amount.

After the purchase, she said, she couldn’t shake a bad feeling she had about it — so she had her son call the same guy to investigate.

“He said the same exact section, row, seat numbers,” the woman said of the ticket seller.

It turned out that the seats do exist, but the original owner had already sold it to someone else. So her tickets were just reprints.

Read more: http://q13fox.com/2013/11/29/one-womans ... z2m7kgEzQR

dunceface · Nov 30, 2013

this is Lame List lame

UK_Seahawk · Nov 30, 2013

I'd be arranging for someone else to contact him, set up a meeting and then "discuss" the situation.

RolandDeschain · Nov 30, 2013

Sucks that that lady got ripped off, but...Half the price of legitimately sourced tickets on NFL ticket exchange? If it's too good to be true, it probably is...

Guardian · Nov 30, 2013

I feel bad for her, but at the same time, she should have known better.

brimsalabim · Nov 30, 2013

No buts about it. You can't expect some old lady who is just trying to get a gift for some one else to understand that stuff. This guy is nothing but a predator criminal and he should be crushed by the full weight of the team and the league for knowingly selling bogus tickets.

Hawkboi · Nov 30, 2013

This is simple... If the guy is still answering his phone and setting up meetings to sell these bogus tickets, why aren't the "Boy's in Blue" involved in meeting up with the guy.... Something isn't adding up, or somebody isn't pursuing to get this guy from selling bogus tickets to other's... IT'S AGAINST THE LAW!!! :141847_bnono: Book him Danno... :327321_Spy_23.22:

Brahn · Nov 30, 2013

This story seems just like another one from the Niners game........

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2352321/Fans- ... icket-scam

many similarities....

"I took one of my guy friends with me who has season tickets. I kind of trusted he'd know if they look fake because he's been a season ticket holder and he thought they looked fine," Bruns says. The tickets even had the perforated edge and bar code.

Bruns says she felt like something wasn't quite right, but everything looked legit. After several weeks, she decided to resell the tickets on Craigslist and upgrade to better seats. A prospective buyer asked her to send him pictures of the tickets.

"So I did. And after doing so his response was 'why do I have the same exact ticket?'"

CANHawk · Nov 30, 2013

Just can't trust craigslist for tickets anymore (if you ever could). Just as likely to get scammed than get what you paid for...

Erebus · Nov 30, 2013

On a reprinted ticket, wouldn't the bar code be the same? If she didn't know they were fake, and showed up to the game, wouldn't the bar code scanner let her in if she got there before the guy with real tickets, and then the guy with real tickets be out of luck? Whats to stop that from happening?

ClumsyLurk · Nov 30, 2013

NFC (near field comminication stickers/chips) are super cheap and it would be great if they would print tickets with them. Then ticket master could create a smart phone app to verify the authenticity of the ticket.

I don't think bar codes are secure enough.

Brahn · Nov 30, 2013

Side Note: Think of how many giveaways you earn with these tickets. You could print off many free jumbo jacks, hair cuts, doughnuts, coffee, jerky/slurpee, pancakes.

livin the Large life

CANHawk · Nov 30, 2013

Erebus":17sq6tta said:
On a reprinted ticket, wouldn't the bar code be the same? If she didn't know they were fake, and showed up to the game, wouldn't the bar code scanner let her in if she got there before the guy with real tickets, and then the guy with real tickets be out of luck? Whats to stop that from happening?

I'm not totally sure, but i think the barcode corresponds to whatever version of the physical ticket got printed. So if you have version 1 but the system knows there's a version 2 ticket in existence, you don't get in. I think that's the scam, tickets get reprinted and the re-prints get used for legit entry to the stadium, while the now useless originals are then sold to the unsuspecting marks. That's what makes it impossible to spot a fake, because really, it IS a legitimate ticket.

I think...

Always best to use a legitimate ticket site like nfl ticket exchange, stub hub or razorgator. Might pay a little more, but at least you can go after them if something goes wrong. Pretty hard to go after "Jim" that you met in the Safeway parking lot.

Subzero717 · Nov 30, 2013

Craigslit stinks.

muxpux · Nov 30, 2013

I almost sent like 400$ to England once but western union wouldn't let me. This gals story was that she was out of the country on business and couldn't use her seats. Wire her the money and she would email me the tix. I think of myself as pretty tech and street smart but the conversations we had made everything seem legit. Another time I bought tix off Craigslist the guy wanted to meet me in person at the stadium. Seemed odd but did meet the guy in person and got the tix and everything was legit. Only problem was the guy got convinced by his parents he could get more money for the tix. Next game I emailed about he had raised the price 100$

therealjohncarlson · Nov 30, 2013

huh? Why doesnt she just set up another meeting and have the cops do a little talking with him. Theres no way she couldnt have thought of that right?

muxpux · Nov 30, 2013

therealjohncarlson":2c4hesgf said:
huh? Why doesnt she just set up another meeting and have the cops do a little talking with him. Theres no way she couldnt have thought of that right?

That would have been my first thought but as with all sad stories these days this way people will donate money and/or tickets out of sympathy.

lvnginhwktwn · Nov 30, 2013

I'd like to buy some tickets from him, I am willing to pay .85 at a time. That's about what a 9mm round cost.

Brahn · Nov 30, 2013

lvnginhwktwn":1amrefua said:
I'd like to buy some tickets from him, I am willing to pay .85 at a time. That's about what a 9mm round cost.

Stabbins free, but you already know that.

HawkWow · Nov 30, 2013

muxpux":2quafg2o said:
therealjohncarlson":2quafg2o said:

huh? Why doesnt she just set up another meeting and have the cops do a little talking with him. Theres no way she couldnt have thought of that right?

Click to expand...

That would have been my first thought but as with all sad stories these days this way people will donate money and/or tickets out of sympathy.

My immediate thought as well. And it makes me sad that I am inclined / forced to think this way. Don't be surprised if she ends up raising the flag.

One woman’s quest for Seahawks tickets turns into nightmare

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