How to protect yourself from fake tickets to UNC vs. Duke game at the Dean Dome
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Buy via established sites with HTTPS; pay by credit card, not debit or P2P apps.
- Attorney General Jeff Jackson warns fans to avoid fake UNC‑Duke tickets and scams.
- In‑person markups capped at $3 over price; file complaints with AG office.
The nation may be watching the Super Bowl on Sunday, but the biggest game in the state is happening on Saturday night: UNC vs. Duke in men’s basketball.
The Battle of the Blues is a storied rivalry game, and the two teams are meeting for the first time this season. The attorney general wants to make sure people buying tickets for the game aren’t blue because they got scammed.
The game at 6:30 p.m. will be played under the Dean Dome — even as the future of the building, which is formally the Dean E. Smith Center on the UNC-Chapel Hill’s main campus, is being debated.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson is warning fans to be careful where they buy their tickets.
“The UNC-Duke rivalry is one of the most anticipated sporting events in the country. Scammers are trying to exploit that excitement to trick fans into purchasing fake tickets. We want everyone to enjoy the game, not lose their hard-earned money to a scam,” Jackson, a Democrat who received his law degree from UNC, said this week in a news release as he offered tips to avoid getting scammed.
Tickets are going for hundreds of dollars.
How to avoid getting scammed by fraudulent ticket sellers
Here’s what Jackson says you can do to guard against a major loss:
- Only buy tickets through established ticket sales site, and verify the website address starts with “https:” and has a lock icon.
- Use your credit card only. Don’t pay using your debit card or a peer-to-peer payment app like Zelle or Venmo. You’ll have a better chance of disputing charges if you used a credit card.
- Don’t buy a seller’s “sob story” about a family emergency and who needs to sell tickets fast, Jackson says.
- If you go to the game and buy a ticket there in-person, or ahead of time in-person, don’t pay more than $3 above the ticket price. State law prohibits a higher charge.
- Find out the refund policy, which reputable sellers should post.
How to report a suspected ticket scam
The attorney general’s office has a Consumer Protection Division, and you can file a complaint if you suspect you were scammed. Call 877-5-NO-SCAM or visit ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/.
