Fake Bad Bunny tickets for Puerto Rico concerts: Beware, says AG James

Headed to Puerto Rico to catch a show by Bad Bunny?

New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning New Yorkers that could be a bad bet — the result of an onslaught of fake or invalid tickets to shows the popular Puerto Rican musician Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio (Bad Bunny) is performing in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Those shows, slated to run through Sept. 14, have attracted thousands of Bad Bunny fans who, James said, have shelled out thousands on travel and concert tickets only to be turned away at the Puerto Rico venue — because the concert tickets are frauds.

"Bad Bunny is a musical icon in New York," James said in a statement on Tuesday, "and scammers are taking advantage of his popularity to sell fake concert tickets."

James urged New Yorkers to use caution when purchasing tickets and said her office was issuing the warning after receiving an official complaint from a would-be concertgoer who traveled to San Juan only to be told the tickets they held were "invalid."

The attorney general’s office is urging anyone who believes they’re a victim of a concert ticket scam to contact them and file a complaint.

Further, the attorney general issued a series of guidelines and tips that can help keep you from becoming a concert ticket-scam victim. These include:

• Use an official or verified source for venue ticket sales and resells.
• Buy only from a legitimate ticket reseller who provides a refund guarantee if something goes wrong.
• Pay by credit card using only a legitimate transfer or payment service, such as PayPal, so you can dispute the transaction if it proves to be fraudulent.
• Avoid paying cash or through a wire transfer of prepaid money transfer.
• Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true — or, vendors who use high-pressure sales tactics.
• Check the Better Business Bureau for consumer ratings and complaints of ticket brokers and vendors.
• Be leery of tickets printed at home.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”