LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas is known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, and that makes it a hot spot for scammers looking to cash in on fake tickets.
From sold-out concerts to big games at Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena, to major events like the Las Vegas Grand Prix, cyber criminals are taking advantage of high demand and leaving fans locked out — and out of hundreds, even thousands of dollars.
Shakeria Hawkins spoke to experts to learn what you can do to protect yourself.
Some locals say buying tickets online always comes with a risk.
“You never really know, sometimes it’s Russian Roulette. I’ve been burned before, but most times it works out,” one resident told me.
Another shared that they avoided using a ticket gifted by a coworker because they weren’t sure it was real.
For Spender Halloway, ticket-buying takes careful planning.
“If you go on the website and pick the right seats, you can find the right price. I’m not paying $1,500 for a ticket,” Halloway said.
Cybersecurity expert Frank Teruel says scammers see Las Vegas as a prime opportunity because of the city’s constant stream of major events.
“Imagine we host March Madness here. That’s an example where you see a lot of ticket fraud because people want to come here. There are secondary sites selling those tickets, bots scraping tickets and reselling them,” Teruel explained.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost more than $12.5 billion to various forms of fraud last year — and those numbers often spike during high-profile events.
“Phishing, identity theft — those kinds of scams are unfortunately amplified when there are major events,” Teruel said.
Experts recommend starting with the venue or team’s official website for tickets. If an event is sold out, stick with authorized resellers like Ticketmaster, AXS, or StubHub.
“It depends on the event, but usually Ticketmaster or AXS if I’m going to an Aces game,” said one local.
Teruel says buyers should also watch out for red flags, including:
- Websites without clear contact information
- Sellers who only accept wire transfers, prepaid cards, or cash
- Deals that seem too good to be true
With so many big events coming to Las Vegas, scammers will continue to target eager fans. The safest move? Stick with trusted sites, avoid suspicious links, and always double-check before you pay.
