Digital ticket fraud spikes on several platforms used for live events. Here are some tips to protect your wallet.
As Broadway heads into one of its busiest times of the year - with thousands getting ready to buy seats online - new data shows scammers are already targeting several go-to ticketing platforms.
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Digital ticket fraud is spiking on several major platforms used for Broadway shows and other live events across the tri-state.
As Broadway heads into one of its busiest times of the year - with thousands getting ready to buy seats online - new data shows scammers are already targeting several go-to ticketing platforms.
"During these winter months, fraud peaks 80% higher than the rest of the year, and particularly in New York, the focus tends to be on these Broadway tickets," says Mike Fusco, from the fraud prevention company, Riskified.
Fusco says his team is tracking multiple types of attacks, including account takeovers and automated bots that snap up high-demand seats before real customers can.
He says scammers often target mid-range tickets, hoping they blend in on a bank statement.
"Two hundred to $500 during the winter months, especially on Broadway, tickets can be pretty normal," he says.
Fusco says the worst time for fraud is late in the week, when buying activity is high.
"We tend to see this on Friday nights and the weekends. "It's typically the late evening between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.," he says.
To protect themselves, he advises that people should change their passwords regularly and buy tickets early so there's time to fix anything suspicious.
And if you discover you bought a fake ticket, call your bank.
"That is something that you should do very, very quickly," he says.
