Scammers Are Turning the Field of Dreams Game into A Nightmare
Scammers Are Turning the Field of Dreams Game into A Nightmare
For the past year, one of the biggest stories here in Iowa has been coming right out of Dyersville. The town is home to one of the most iconic movie locations of the past fifty years; the Field of Dreams.
The game is hours away, but many people are still scrambling to get tickets to the game. Several people who have arrived in the town of Dyersville have actually come without a ticket, and are hoping for the best.
Hotels are mostly booked up for the game day, but some kind Dyersville residents are offering up their own homes for tourists visiting the area.
Not all of the people involved in the game are as giving as these kind locals. With an event this big (and the ticket prices so high) many people are trying to take advantage of people's excitement for the event.
Scammers are running rampant, especially once the initial Iowa lottery winners were announced. When people were notified via email about their ticket status, scammers sprang into action.
Alleged scammers would post in Facebook groups and try to convince eager buyers to purchase tickets from them. These tickets would either be very close to face value to avoid suspicion or significantly more expensive to get as much as they can from desperate buyers.
One individual who would prefer to remain anonymous, shared screenshots of their encounter with a scammer. They came across this individual on a Facebook group where people could get information about the 2021 game.
They got to the stage where they were about to seal the deal and pay for the tickets this individual was offering. After requesting an invoice to validate the payment, the alleged scammer asked if they could send it through the "friends and family" option instead of as a "goods and services" transaction.
This is when the customer started to get suspicious. They halted this interaction after this.
Another individual who is still trying to get tickets to the game is very upset about the entire situation. Daniel Phipps already booked his flights and got a car. He was close to being scammed by a very suspicious account on a national Facebook group where people can buy or sell tickets.
"I have been waiting for this game for a couple of years now, so I gotta go back to Dyersville."
How To Avoid Being Scammed
It's pretty easy to get caught up in all of the excitement of the upcoming game and let down some of your defenses, especially if you're feeling desperate for tickets. While the cost of the tickets on third-party ticket apps like StubHub and VividSeats has additional fees, sometimes getting tickets from other individuals without those fees can be a bit dangerous.
Social media has become a whole new breeding ground for scalpers and scammers alike. There are a few red flags you should be able to pick up on so you can avoid losing out on a large sum of money.
1. Use "Goods And Services" For Digital Purchases
If you're using a form of digital payment like PayPal there are multiple ways you can send the requested money. Like the individual referenced above, many of these scammers will try to get you to perform the transaction as "friends and family" versus "goods and services" which is a huge red flag.
The latter includes a payment protection plan and requires a small fee from the seller.
2. Check Their Profile
It's sometimes hard to tell if someone is a scammer or not based on your conversation with them over text or in direct messages. However, if you go straight to their profile you can get a better idea of who you're dealing with.
How many friends or followers do they have?
When did they create their account?
Does their profile picture look too good to be true?
These are important indicators of whether or not you're dealing with a legit seller or a scammer.
3. Speliang is Kei (Spelling Is Key)
You'd think that if this person has perfect spelling or grammar that they are totally a scammer who is trying to put on a front, but if you see a whole lot of mistakes in their spelling then they might be a scammer who is either (1) not familiar with the language (2) trying hard to seem human.
4. Listen to Others
In this instance, there were posts on a Facebook page that all members could see. When someone comments that they believe that one person might be a scammer (or multiple) believe them! Also, don't be afraid to reach out to others who you trust to get a second opinion.
All in all, even if you don't go to the game this will be a very fun and exciting time here in Iowa.
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