There's scams on multiple levels already starting this year, and every year, they get a little smarter. It used to be you could get a photo of the person with their ID and tickets in hand and exchange a photo of yourself in return- but the scammers are using that to their advantage this year, and using photos sent to them by buyers to scam other interested parties.
If you are BUYING a ticket third party at a distance, knowing what questions to ask is KEY.
You will need to know: their name, if they are who they claim to be, whether their name matches the name on their ticket confirmation, whether the tickets are hard copy or will call, and whether they will accept a PayPal Goods & Services payment - which is the most protected form of payment. When paying with PayPal, use a credit card, if you have it, not a debit card - it will add any extra layer of protection.
- 1. Do not use PayPal Friends and Family
2. Do not use Venmo
3. Do not send a check.
4. Do not send cash.
5. Do not use Square Cash, Facebook, Zelle or any other form of friend to friend transfer
Then, ask for a picture with the following: their face, their ID and a paper that reads something like "Burning Man Ticket Seller" and the date with time of day. If they have hard copy tickets, ask them to also show a picture with the tickets and a print out of their order confirmation as proof of purchase. For Will Call, a screen shot of their proof of purchase is satisfactory. The name on the proof of purchase MUST BE THE SAME as the name on their ID and their face must match the face on the facebook page.
You will send them a photo, too - your face, holding your ID, with the words "Burning Man Ticket BUYER" and the date with time of day. It will be a lot harder for a seller to send you someone else's image, or to reuse yours, if this element is included.
If you purchase Will Call tickets, although it's a different process than previously, it should still be almost instant. Get a written agreement that the seller will send them no more than one hour after your payment. If you are receiving physical tickets, pay the seller for Overnight Mail - the sense of security is worth it - and ensure that they will ship the tickets the next day. Get a tracking number.
PayPal's protection plan covers both physical goods and intangible. Will Call tickets are essentially both, but if they don't transfer them to you in 24 hours, OPEN A CLAIM. If you don't receive tracking for an Overnight package? Wait 48 hours, and OPEN A CLAIM. If you get a tracking number, but it never gets scanned - 48 hours and OPEN A CLAIM. And if you need help? You are free to message me - my business is online sales and I'm happy to share any insights I can to help you win a case.
Finally, say you get the overnight package that should contain your physical tickets. I know you want to tear it open with glee but ... take a breath. Go to your local post office. Let them know that you have purchased an item that has a high risk of scams, and you want someone at the post office to witness you opening the package. Honestly, if you get to this point, the tickets will probably be there .... BUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. You might also be able to go to a police station to do this, but I am sure many wouldn't feel comfortable there.
If this was a super determined scammer who sends you empty envelope, OPEN A CLAIM and FILE A POLICE REPORT. If you have done all the above, you'll have a facebook account link, images with their ID, promises to ship, and a witness to an empty envelope, and mail fraud is SERIOUS business. Also, you'll need the police report to win the PayPal Claim.
Here's some typical signs of a scam:
- 1. They can provide ID, and provide a confirmation, but the names don't match
2. They provide a confirmation, but the name is blocked out entirely
3. They post in say, San Francisco or Reno or LA, but then claim to be from somewhere a minimum of five hours away, and often more. e.g., I ran into one on SFbay today who claimed to be in a small town in Montana, 150 miles from the nearest airport.
4. They want to send you links, like Google Verify to prove you "both real people." NOPE.
5. They drop off after your smart questions- but might circle back later, trying to ring more in.
Okay, the likelihood is that if you use eplaya, you will probably also sell your tickets here, rather than the wilds of Craigslist.
But if for some reason you do, use the same tips above to protect you from fake buyers, just looking to turn around and use your images to scam someone else. Request the buyers on Facebook. When you send a photo, make sure you have a paper with the date and TIME, proving that you are a real person.
Use PayPal - this protects you as well as the buyer. Use a shipping method with tracking and insurance. Check in with the buyer when you see it's been delivered.
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I'll be out there with the rest of you, sorting through the scams and the scalpers to find two of those hidden gems, that are real tickets sold by real Burners. I wish all of you luck!
