By Cole Lauterbach
The Center Square

CHICAGO – The summer concert season is here and with that comes ticket scammers looking to take advantage of some high-profile concerts coming to Illinois, including the Rolling Stones tour opener Friday at Soldier Field.

Steve Bernas, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, said some events have high enough demand that tickets are selling for thousands of dollars each. With that demand comes ticket scammers offering relatively cheap tickets and convincing stories of authenticity.

“Fake concert tickets have never been easier to manufacture, and whenever there’s excitement about a special event, like the Rolling Stones and Lollapalooza later this summer, there are counterfeiters who want to take advantage.”

He said the scams often extend beyond just tickets.

“Illegal ticket sellers know that fan fever can often cloud common sense and smart buying, people need to be careful so they are not ripped-off by bad guys selling fake tickets and poor quality, unlicensed merchandise,” he said.

Bernas said consumers should always buy with credit cards, avoid pop-up ads for tickets and check out the reputation of the seller at bbb.org.

Bernas said to always try to go through sites like Ticketmaster or an official team or band page when buying tickets online.

There have also been stories of buyers and sellers making transactions at unsafe meeting places, heightening concerns about dealing with untrustworthy sources.