Atlanta Falcons: Team cautions on counterfeit tickets

There are plenty of tickets available on the secondary market for the NFC divisional playoff game between the Falcons and Seahawks on Sunday at the Georgia Dome but the team is warning fans about counterfeit tickets.

The Falcons issued the following guidelines today:

• The NFL Ticket Exchange (www.nfl.com/ticketexchange) is the only resale marketplace endorsed by the NFL, providing fans with the opportunity to purchase seats listed by Falcons season ticket holders or other fans.
• When buying from an individual or through other online exchanges, do not be lured away from the website by the seller.
• Fans choosing to buy tickets through an online auction are advised to choose a seller with a long and continuous history of satisfied customers.
• Fans should never pay with a cashier’s check or wire money to the seller, as there may be no way to get money back if the tickets are not received. Fans are advised to pay with a credit card or through PayPal, which offer some amount of protection and potential reimbursement.
• Many sellers will include pictures of the tickets with their posts on auction sites or message boards. Fans should scrutinize these tickets closely for any inaccuracies or alterations, and cross-check the seat assignment with the map on the Georgia Dome’s website.

“The NFL Ticket Exchange powered by Ticketmaster, the only marketplace for fans to buy and sell guaranteed authentic NFL tickets, provides Atlanta Falcons fans looking to buy or sell their playoff tickets a safe, convenient, and League-approved resale platform,” said Clay Luter, Ticketmaster’s senior vice president of Stadium, Outdoor & College Sports. “Through the NFL Ticket Exchange, the Falcons are able to deliver fans access to the only barcode-authenticated playoff game tickets.”

In an effort to help eliminate the sale of fake and counterfeit tickets, the Falcons have incorporated several security devices built into playoff tickets. Some of the overt security devices include a foil stamped playoff logo, thermo chromic ink, and a specially-made gloss varnish. A counterfeit ticket may be missing one or even several of these or other security features.

Fans purchasing tickets from other sources should be advised that tickets may appear to look authentic but in many cases will not be valid or may be counterfeit. If you purchase invalid or counterfeit tickets, the Falcons will not be able to offer alternative ticket options as both potential games are sold out.