Clemson fans lose hundreds of dollars in widespread ticket scam
As we get closer to the height of football season, Clemson fans like Danielle Smith are reporting an uptick in ticket scams.As an Upstate transplant, Smith adopted Clemson as her new team. So when she saw they were playing against her alma mater, she started looking for tickets. “It’s at Clemson, I graduated from Charleston Southern, so I was like really excited to get some tickets for this game,” she said.At the beginning of August, Smith posted in a Clemson ticket Facebook group, and after weeding her way through potential bots, she settled on a woman who said she was a Clemson alum and used to be a part of the band. Smith asked for proof of tickets. “And she said, ‘No, sure, no problem,'” Smith remembered. “She sends me screenshots of Ticketmaster of the tickets they said they had.”Smith paid, the tickets never made it to her inbox, and the person went radio silent.According to several other fans, this particular scammer is very convincing. “She knew what to say about transferring through Ticketmaster, like she’d done it before,” said Kathleen Castle, who had tried to buy concert tickets.”She had pictures of her at games, she was part of the band and lived local to the area,” said David Cote.Cote is a Clemson alum, and was trying to get his brother tickets. He said the person he messaged, who appeared to be a young woman, was very nice and conversational until he paid. After that, it was excuse after excuse.”When I started calling her out on it, she blocked me, didn’t get any tickets, we had already sent her money, we’d spend $600 on four tickets,” he said.The scam is becoming more and more common for anyone buying tickets on social media or third-party unofficial sites.Now out $200, Smith bought her tickets from Clemson directly. She hopes fewer people fall for convincing scams, and wants anyone who does to call the police.”I’d love to see this particular set of people held accountable. Because they’re living off my money, your money, all these people’s money, that’s literally what they’re doing. They’re just taking our money and paying their bills with it,” she said. According to a Clemson spokesperson, the best and safest way to get tickets is through the Clemson ticket office or Ticketmaster. Even if your ticket doesn’t work, if it’s bought from those sites, it will be honored.
As we get closer to the height of football season, Clemson fans like Danielle Smith are reporting an uptick in ticket scams.
As an Upstate transplant, Smith adopted Clemson as her new team. So when she saw they were playing against her alma mater, she started looking for tickets.
“It’s at Clemson, I graduated from Charleston Southern, so I was like really excited to get some tickets for this game,” she said.
At the beginning of August, Smith posted in a Clemson ticket Facebook group, and after weeding her way through potential bots, she settled on a woman who said she was a Clemson alum and used to be a part of the band. Smith asked for proof of tickets.
“And she said, ‘No, sure, no problem,'” Smith remembered. “She sends me screenshots of Ticketmaster of the tickets they said they had.”
Smith paid, the tickets never made it to her inbox, and the person went radio silent.
According to several other fans, this particular scammer is very convincing.
“She knew what to say about transferring through Ticketmaster, like she’d done it before,” said Kathleen Castle, who had tried to buy concert tickets.
“She had pictures of her at games, she was part of the band and lived local to the area,” said David Cote.
Cote is a Clemson alum, and was trying to get his brother tickets. He said the person he messaged, who appeared to be a young woman, was very nice and conversational until he paid. After that, it was excuse after excuse.
“When I started calling her out on it, she blocked me, didn’t get any tickets, we had already sent her money, we’d spend $600 on four tickets,” he said.
The scam is becoming more and more common for anyone buying tickets on social media or third-party unofficial sites.
Now out $200, Smith bought her tickets from Clemson directly. She hopes fewer people fall for convincing scams, and wants anyone who does to call the police.
“I’d love to see this particular set of people held accountable. Because they’re living off my money, your money, all these people’s money, that’s literally what they’re doing. They’re just taking our money and paying their bills with it,” she said.
According to a Clemson spokesperson, the best and safest way to get tickets is through the Clemson ticket office or Ticketmaster. Even if your ticket doesn’t work, if it’s bought from those sites, it will be honored.
