AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin City Limits Music Festival is back! And while the festival attracts thousands of music lovers, it also attracts hundreds of scammers.
Scammers know ACL Fest is a highly anticipated event. Tickets sell out quickly, and many will be looking to secure last-minute entry to the festival.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends people buy directly from the ACL site. But when that's no longer doable, many turn to third-party websites.
The thing about these sites is that not all of them can be trusted, according to the BBB.
"Research the seller," said Jason Meza, senior regional director for the BBB. "If it's a private seller, dig a little deeper, find out who's offering the tickets. Can you meet in person? Can you capture phone numbers or do video chats?"
If you decide to meet a seller in person – and the seller hasn't already done so – it's also a good idea to activate your wristband before you leave to make sure it's legitimate.
Meza said if you're using a third-party site, it's best to use a reputable source like StubHub. But even when searching through a reputable source, watch out for copycats.
"Be a little leery," he said. "Watch for the similarities in name. Sometimes there's a dash or a comma, and it's not the actual website. So really check that new URL in the toolbar. Research the seller."
The BBB also advises you look for a lock symbol in the web address. That indicates a secure purchasing system.
Also be careful with ads. Scammers are getting creative and paying their own money to steal yours.
"If you simply do a Google search for the event and look for tickets, you might see [the] first results come up as paid ads," Meza said. "Con artists are paying money to get your money there. They're sponsoring these fake links. And then you click, and you go down a dark path."
Meza also said to trust your gut. If you get on a website and something feels off, don't buy anything. Save yourself the headache and money.
The BBB also suggests using payment methods that come with protection, like credit cards. Usually, debit cards, wire transfers and cash transactions are riskier because it's harder to get your money back.
For more tips on buying tickets, click here.
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