Skip to content

Consumer Fraud Task Force Warns Consumers to Be Wary of Special Event Fraud

ST. LOUIS – The Consumer Fraud Task Force is advising consumers to be on the lookout for fraudulent special events. Consumers have filed reports with Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other agencies about events ranging from music festivals to fun runs to conventions.

These events often promise much more than they deliver. Victims purchase tickets and then arrive at the events to find crowds of frustrated people. The events either never existed or fall short of the organizer’s promises. These events often are promoted through social media, where consumers are redirected to a professional-looking website where they can purchase tickets for the event. 

In order to protect yourself from being caught in a special events scam, the task force offers the following tips:

  • Research the event. Search online for the name of the festival and make sure the name of the advertised event matches the website. Scammers sometimes will use names that sound similar to real festivals. Read reviews of events held in other cities.
  • Make contact. Be sure the festival’s website has a phone number, physical address and email address. Be wary of event organizers who make it hard to reach someone, especially ones that rely on a contact form instead of offering a phone number for customer service.
  • Is it too good to be true? If you find a website offering tickets to an event that are lower than those posted at other places, the website might be a scam. Research all claims made by event organizers. If a music festival offers top entertainment, check those bands’ schedules to see if the schedules match.
  • Make a good purchase. Purchase tickets through a known ticketing agency. These agencies typically have refund policies and it lessens the chances of you having to chase down a smaller operation for your funds. Always pay with a credit card in case you have to challenge the ticket purchase.
  • Report it. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud by a special event, file a complaint with BBB and your local law enforcement agency.

The Task Force, formed in October 2002, is a coalition of local, state and federal government agencies and nonprofit business and consumer groups in Missouri and Illinois that work together to protect consumer and donor rights and guard against fraud. 

The group has tackled predatory payday loan offers, tax scams, timeshare fraud, credit repair and foreclosure scams, bogus sweepstakes, internet sweetheart scams, phony grant scams, home remodeling, elder fraud payment scams and a variety of other issues. 

To obtain information, or to report a scam, you may contact members of the Task Force:

Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern and Southwest Missouri and Southern Illinois – (888) 996-3887; bbb.org

Federal Trade Commission – (877) FTC-HELP (382-4357); ftc.gov

Missouri Attorney General – (800) 392-8222; www.ago.mo.gov

U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Missouri – (314) 539-2200; www.usdoj.gov/usao/moe

U.S. Postal Inspection Service – (877) 876-2455; postalinspectors.uspis.gov

U.S. Secret Service – (314) 539-2238; www.secretservice.gov

Posted in Uncategorized