iYogi Alert: Internet Ticket Fraud

April 05, 2011

What is Internet ticket fraud? A common scam cheating people who buy online tickets for sporting, musical and countless other events

New York, NY, April 05, 2011 – iYogi, the provider of on-demand remote tech support services, released a report informing online users about Internet ticket fraud which targets people purchasing tickets for various events online. Based on feedback from its large customer panel, iYogi continuously monitors and publishes activities to alert other customers of online fraud and scams. Sports and music enthusiasts are primary targets for this type of scam. This latest ‘iYogi Alert‘ is aimed at helping you understand Internet ticket fraud and help you avoid being the next target.

How does Internet Ticket Fraud work? Fraudsters simply set up authentic-looking  websites. These  websites  essentially mirror a legitimate online event service – e.g. TicketMaster.com – the difference between the sites could be as simple as using the number 0 in place of the letter o in the URL. Simply because the site looks valid, Internet ticket fraud tricks millions of people into handing over their personal credit card information and buying tickets from them. As a result, the majority of the tickets delivered are fake, and often no tickets are delivered at all.

Internet ticket fraud can devastate your credit, personal identity, and of course, your plans for the evening. In addition to the frustration and embarrassment of being turned away at the ticket booth, you miss the opportunity to watch your favorite events, even after shelling out a significant amount of money for tickets. Internet ticket fraud has the worse consequences for the victims tricked into parting with credit card and other personal information, which starts a new cycle of harassment, identity theft, and fraudulent charges on the victim’s credit card.

What you can do about it:

• Get your tickets verified by organizers of the event.
• Be wary of tickets you receive via mail on poor quality paper.
• Watch out for receipts and invoices with grammatical errors.
• Never agree to wire money as payment for tickets.
• Organizers are better off having barcodes on tickets, as these are programmed for single use only.
• Work with event sales sites that allow you to print your ticket off immediately.
• Always follow up with a phone call and speak to a real human being to confirm your purchase.

What iYogi has to say about Internet ticket fraud:
“Buying tickets for events online is convenient and saves time, but most shortcuts come with a price and its own set of hazards,” says Vishal Dhar, President, Marketing and Co-founder of iYogi. “Like any online transactions, it is essential to take some basic safeguards against fraud so you don’t end up a victim of countless financial scams and miss your favorite event at the same time.” 

About iYogi
iYogi is a global on-demand services company that provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. iYogi’s unique model, including proprietary iMantra technology and highly qualified technicians, is designed to eliminate computer-related stress and keep  digitally dependent consumers and small businesses protected and productive. iYogi — with its proven global expertise delivery model, intelligent customer insight systems, easy-to-use self-help tools and automated PC optimization and computer support services – offers users a simple yet comprehensive path to digital serenity. iYogi has perfected the remote technical support model to overcome the current limitations of in-store, on-site, or call center services. Major resellers and technology companies are turning to iYogi to improve customer satisfaction, reduce return rates, and deliver a compelling new-value added offering to customers. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: http://www.iyogi.com.

Media Contact:
Matt Farrell
GlobalFluency
(646)652-5204
mfarrell@globalfluency.com