City release (edit)
02/20/24
The Iowa City Police Department is advising caution after a victim who thought they were buying tickets for a University of Iowa women’s basketball game got scammed.
In the recent instance, the victim believed they were purchasing a ticket via Facebook Marketplace. The ticket was not valid, however. By the time the victim was aware of the deception, the seller had deleted their Facebook account.
With the excitement surrounding Hawkeye basketball and demand for tickets to remain high, ICPD encourages the community to use caution when purchasing tickets from unofficial sources, such as social media.
The University of Iowa Police Department recommends only purchasing tickets from official sources. Purchase your tickets from the University’s official ticket office, or this year’s official ticketing partner, SeatGeek. Every ticket sold on SeatGeek is verified and trusted, and all tickets sold are backed by SeatGeek’s Buyer Guarantee.
Authorities also advise to be on the lookout for signs of a scam, such as being required to pay in a specific way such as by purchasing gift cards or using cryptocurrency. They also suggest that you never share sensitive information with strangers.