Sports ticket scammers steal hundreds from fan

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Scammers are capitalizing on the uncertainties surrounding sporting events during the pandemic, and one man is sharing a word of warning after losing hundreds of dollars to a ticket scammer.

Brian Myers is a big Colts fan and attends quite a few games in-person. With limited attendance and electronic ticketing this season, he tried to buy from sellers on Craigslist who promised him legitimate tickets.

“We’ve had the misfortune of running into the wrong people,” Myers said. “I actually got scammed twice in one season.”

The first person claimed to be a corrections officer from Marion County and even answered a question about inmates wearing masks via text with Myers.

He says more than once: “I’m not out to burn you” as the two negotiate which virtual payment system to use.

The scammer included his name and email and once he got the money, he was gone.

“They even sent photos of the tickets they were going to send me and I thought for sure, after seeing the seat number and row, I thought this is absolutely golden, no risk. 100 percent wrong.” said Myers.

The second scammer went by the name Andrew Jones. He put the pressure on, saying others were asking for the tickets and he could only send them as a pair meaning Myers needed to pay in full.

He also promised: “I’m not here to scam or rip you off sir.”

Myers sent the money, and Jones disappeared.

“It’s more of a burn on your willingness to trust society and strangers. It makes you more closed off,” said Myers. “You just don’t know who to trust.”

Myers filed all the right police reports with the names, phone numbers, and email addresses but says all that information leads to deleted accounts.

He has had good ticket transactions before but says those were all done in person, handing tickets off face-to-face.

This year Indianapolis will host both the Big Ten and NCAA men’s basketball tournaments but fan attendance is still undecided.