Greg's Corner

Tagged: Taylor Swift Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Geebo 8:00 am on July 27, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: concert tickets ( 2 ), Facebook ( 173 ), Scams ( 1,224 ), Taylor Swift   

  The dead are selling Taylor Swift tickets 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In case you didn’t know, the demand for Taylor Swift concert tickets is through the proverbial roof right now. In some arenas, even the nosebleed seats are going for around a cool grand. Since the tour began, scammers have been pulling out all the stops to swindle the Taylor Swift faithful who are looking for a ‘cheaper’ ticket. Typically, this involves taking money from fans while promising tickets but never delivering them. However, this is the first time we’ve heard of a deceased person scamming would-be concert-goers.

  To be fair, this scam isn’t too different from any other ticket scam. In the Sacramento, California area, someone was offering a pair of tickets for sale on Facebook for $500 each. A friend of a friend of the seller saw this post and asked to buy the tickets. The seller asked for payment through the usual apps like Venmo and Zelle, but the payments wouldn’t go through for whatever reason. Thankfully, the buyer didn’t lose any money, but what they found out was eerie to say the least.

  The person who owned the Facebook profile which was selling the tickets had passed away a few years ago. Scammers had taken over the account and were now using it for scams. The buyer even confronted the scammer online, but the scammer insisted that the deceased person was their spouse, even though the decedent had never been married.

  If a loved one has passed away, and you want to preserve their Facebook account, Facebook has a process you can go through called memorializing the account. Facebook says memorializing the account will prevent scammers like this from taking over the account. You can find more information about that here.

  If you’re looking to buy any in-demand event tickets, it’s best to avoid social media. Social media platforms are not designed for secure transactions, making it easier for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers. Fake ticket sellers may pose as legitimate sources, enticing buyers with attractive deals, only to disappear after receiving payment, leaving the buyer with no tickets and little chance of recovering their money.

   

  Leave a ReplyCancel reply
• 

  Geebo 9:00 am on December 12, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: arrest warrant ( 22 ), concert tickets ( 2 ), jury duty scam ( 26 ), puppy scam ( 35 ), Scams ( 1,224 ), Taylor Swift, tickets ( 17 ), US Attorney's Office, Zelle ( 62 )   

  Scam Round Up: Taylor Swift ticket scam and more 

  

  By Greg Collier

  This week in the Round Up, we’re going over some familiar scams with a slight twist to each of them.

  ***

  As we keep saying, the most common scam out there is probably the arrest warrant scam. Not a day goes by where we don’t see this scam in the headlines from somewhere in the country. Typically, scammers will pose as your local police department when they call a victim. The scammers will then demand money over an arrest warrant that doesn’t actually exist. More often than not, the scammers will tell the victim they’ve missed jury duty. In many jurisdictions, missing jury duty is no longer an arrestable offense, although you can be fined. However, you would receive a notice in the mail and not an officer calling you on the phone.

  Anyway, some scammers have turned up the pressure on their victims by claiming to be from a much higher law enforcement office than your local police department. Some scammers are claiming to be calling from the US Attorney’s Office, demanding their victims pay ‘legal fees’. The caller ID On these calls is spoofed to make it appear like the calls are coming from the US Attorney’s Office.

  Always keep in mind, no law enforcement office will ever call you demanding money. That goes for the smallest police departments in the most rural towns, up to and including the higher echelons of law enforcement like the FBI.

  ***

  There’s actually some good news on the puppy scam front. According to a recent report from the Better Business Bureau, puppy scams are actually on the decline. We’re specifically talking about the scam where victims pay for a puppy they find online, only to find out the puppy doesn’t exist. In many instances of this scam, once the scammer receives the initial payment, they’ll try to get more money from the victim by asking for more money for things like delivery insurance or special transport crates.

  And that’s where the bad news comes in. The reason puppy scams are on the decline is that scammers are taking more money from victims than before.

  If you’re in the market for a puppy, do not send any money to anyone without seeing the puppy in person first. Try to stick to local breeders or your local shelter.

  ***

  There’s no bigger star in today’s music industry than Taylor Swift. Tickets for her latest concert tour went on sale back in November, and quickly sold out. If you’re still looking to snag some tickets to this premium event, be careful where you try to get them from.

  A New Jersey woman thought she was buying tickets from another member of a Facebook group she belonged to. The woman sent $1500 through Zelle, for the tickets. She never received the tickets, and the scammer kept asking her for more money. If scammers can fool someone once, they’ll often try to get more money out of their victims.

  If you’re trying to buy tickets to any event that is in high demand, stick to reputable retailers. Also, never send money through Zelle to someone you don’t know personally.