How to buy tix securely on Craigslist?

[stjarna15]

I found a guy in Conneticut who is willing to sell me two tix for $700 (I live in LA)
I feel kind of insecure about doing such an expensive transaction so I asked him if he would send me screenshot of his confirmation email and a picture of his ID.
He said he was uncomfortable with this and that if he did that I could also transfer the tickets to my name.
He didn't feel comfortable with paypay but said hed accept moneygram (sketchy?)
Is there a way to securely buy tickets from somebody the Craigslist route? Any advice?

[trilobyte]

There is no secure way to purchase tickets via Craig's List. And at present the seller does not have a way to transfer the ticket order into your name.

[theCryptofishist]

And we've had a least two people come onto this board to say they were defrauded.

[Just_Joe]

What Trilo said!
The only deal I'd do on CL would be face to face,*if* I was reasonably confident that I could identify a fugazy.

If this this guy responded to your plea for a ticket all the way from the east coast, that's all the more reason to bail. He can't find a buyer in the CT/the greater NYC area?

Here's a good one floating around in our local CL, I guess his got mailed early....

This posting is begging for another ticket. Last week someone broke into my car and stole a bunch of stuff from my truck including a folder holding my two tickets to the man. As you all know it's a sold out event and this was suppost to be my first time, but as your reading it's not a positive situation for people looking. If someone has one possibly two to replace the ones that were stolen just recently you will be a god! Please help me out, I'm getting to the man even if it kills me.

[trilobyte]

Yeah weather man, definite scam (seeing as nobody has tickets yet).

[remi]

Yeah.. agree with everyone else. I would only buy something off CL is there seller would sell it to me from there house. Nobody would fuck around with someone that knows where they sleep.

[lucky420]

This posting is begging for another ticket. Last week someone broke into my car and stole a bunch of stuff from my truck including a folder holding my two tickets to the man. As you all know it's a sold out event and this was suppost to be my first time, but as your reading it's not a positive situation for people looking. If someone has one possibly two to replace the ones that were stolen just recently you will be a god! Please help me out, I'm getting to the man even if it kills me

my,my,my, people are getting inventive.

[vargaso]

Never use Moneygram or something similar when dealing with Craigslist. I think they even have a disclaimer on each posting about that. And really, you should only engage in face-to-face transactions on Craigslist.

[Minxy]

I found a guy in Conneticut who is willing to sell me two tix for $700 (I live in LA)
I feel kind of insecure about doing such an expensive transaction so I asked him if he would send me screenshot of his confirmation email and a picture of his ID.
He said he was uncomfortable with this and that if he did that I could also transfer the tickets to my name.
He didn't feel comfortable with paypay but said hed accept moneygram (sketchy?)
Is there a way to securely buy tickets from somebody the Craigslist route? Any advice?

Sounds very suspicious. I 100% would advise against it.

I don't mind using CL for things, but it's always been a face to face exchange at a public place. I would not under any circumstances send money through moneygram or Western Union.

[pink]

The money gram surfaced in a lot of the ticket fraud posts out there last year on eBay & Craigslist. This IS a scam. And report the listing, phone number, email, anything you have to BM & the police. Interstate fraud is a federal felony.

[Savannah]

Pink's right.

Last year, we heard of Western Union, moneygram, & Green Dot moneypak shenanigans . . . these things are pretty much untraceable. If someone wants you to pay with some weird method, google the name of it plus the word "fraud" or "scam" and see what others are saying on major sites. Careful where you click.

Unless I were dealing with a close friend or someone with references from a friend, I'd want to see some ID and do a face-to-face transaction (physical tickets for cash, in June or later) in the lobby of a police station, or--if I were the seller--in a bank with good security. I could check the bills right there before buying.

[BBadger]

It is kind of the point of Craigslist to buy locally and face-to-face. Funny how people get scammed via it at this point.

[gyre]

I found a guy in Conneticut who is willing to sell me two tix for $700 (I live in LA)
I feel kind of insecure about doing such an expensive transaction so I asked him if he would send me screenshot of his confirmation email and a picture of his ID.
He said he was uncomfortable with this and that if he did that I could also transfer the tickets to my name.
He didn't feel comfortable with paypay but said hed accept moneygram (sketchy?)
Is there a way to securely buy tickets from somebody the Craigslist route? Any advice?

He's wrong about the transfer bit, if he is real.

Moneygram = big red flag.

Public meetings, another bad idea.

If this is legit, which I doubt, find someone in the area to act as an intermediary.
It's done all the time.

Ask for the confirmation number and his name.
This should be enough to confirm the tickets exist, or discourage a crook (though there have been more persistent ones).

[pink]

As Trilo mentioned in the new scams thread, last year there were instances where a legit ticket and bill with confirm number and price paid hit the scammers list, and was used to try to sell a legit ticket over and over by numerous scammers. So all a scammer has to do is get their hands on one confirm email and could use that to try to scam as many people as possible.

This is a scam. Pure and simple. Don't buy from Craigslist. And don't panic at this point.

There were also numerous fakes produced. Some were pretty darn good. Look to your local network. Get involved. You are in LA. There will be tickets being sold by true burners that can't go. I met one couple last year that were gifted tickets the week of the burn by someone that truly backed out at the last minute!

[gyre]

As Pink says, ticket existence is just a starting point.

[dragonpilot]

THIS GUY IS A CRIMINAL! HE SHOULD BE PROSECUTED! DO NOT BUY FROM PEOPLE LIKE THIS! HE SCAMMED AN ACQUAINTANCE OF MINE WITH EXACTLY THIS SAME M.O.

Be patient...there are people with tickets that right now don't know they can't go...in your hometown.

[gyre]

Be patient...there are people with tickets that right now don't know they can't go...in your hometown.

This isn't true in most locations.
I don't think a ticket has ever been for sale here.

[pink]

The OP is in LA.

[gyre]

LA should have plenty of tickets, if anywhere does.

I have talked to people on craigslist out of state about burning man tickets, though never closed anything.
In that case, I've seen them on the playa since then.
There are safe ways to do things.

I have two out of state contacts that posted on craigslist.
I will be buying from at least one of them, probably in person.

CL isn't all scams, but caution is always warranted.

The reason 'meeting in a public place' is a red flag, is that thieves and robbers insist on it, to hide their location.
I've had seemingly legit people want to sell me electronics in a location where you can't power it up.
How stupid do I look?

[haolegolucky]

How to buy tickets securely on Craigslist?

Don't!

[Annfan]

You can't. xoxox

[Ratty]

I always sell or buy my CL stuff in a parking lot in front of a camera and security guard. The local casino is very accommodating in that regard. I can also run in and have the bills checked. All the cameras keep the crooks away. (Except the really stupid ones).