Officials Bust Two Men Accused Of Peddling Fake Premium Super Bowl Tickets

Whenever there’s a big event in town, people are going to start looking for any kind of deal they can score to get in. And when those people go searching, inevitably scammers find them and try to sell unsuspecting fans fake tickets. This year’s Super Bowl is no different, as officials say two men have been accused of shilling bogus tickets to the big game and fake passes for cushy parties in New York.

The two men — one from Queens, New York and the other from Philadelphia — were arrested after monthlong sting. During that month, officials say the twosome sold bogus tickets and passes to undercover cops, reports the New York Daily News.

“Individuals who bought tickets or passes through the Internet may be in for a rude awakening on game day,” warned Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

These weren’t nosebleed seats either, officials say: The bogus premium tickets to Sunday’s game at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey were especially tempting as they were sold for about half the price of a real premium seat. Those real tickets go for $2,100 to $7,400.

“They advertise the fact they’ll produce a ticket for anything,” a rep from the NYPD’s Organized Crime Investigations Division.

The fakes were of “very good” quality, including NFL logos and barcodes that could likely fool ticket scanners. The men are also accused of selling fake parking passes and tickets to fancy events like the NFL Commissioner’s Party, which will be Friday night at the Waldorf-Astoria.

The men have been charged with trademark counterfeiting and possession of a forged instrument.

Fake Super Bowl ticket sting leads to bust of two men [New York Daily News]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist