Police offer tips to avoid Chiefs playoff ticket scams

As the No. 2-seeded Kansas City Chiefs enter the NFL playoffs, police offer tips to avoid getting scammed while enjoying the Chiefs' playoff run. 

Try to purchase from the official box office first

If purchasing online –

• Use reputable websites (Ticketmaster or Stubhub) and know their polices
• Avoid using general item websites that don’t specialize in ticket sales

If selling online –

• Don’t post pictures of your tickets online, those pictures can be used to forge tickets and sold by criminals
• Use reputable web sites that sell tickets, as well

When meeting in person for the purchase or sale:

• Choose a well-populated, well-lit location, and choose a reasonable time of day
• Consider meeting at a police station or a place with video surveillance
• Safely make observations about the other party, such as their vehicle, license plate, or of them
• If purchasing, inspect the ticket well, look for misspellings, thin paper, etc. and do this before handing over the money
• If selling, inspect the cash the person is providing you. It isn’t uncommon for someone to wrap counterfeit funds in a real bill. 

If purchasing or selling via electronic means:

• Know the refund policies if you are using electronic means of payment such as Paypal or Venmo. Ticketmaster also has Fan to Fan Exchange on their website.

Other Tips:

• If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Know the market value of the ticket before purchasing. 
• The extra fees paid on reputable websites might be irritating, but you are paying for that extra security and protection of your investment.