PSA: Avoiding Scams

Hi everyone,

I know we’ve had a couple of posts like this in the past (if it was you who posted them please link me so I can include it and give you credit! I couldn’t find them with a brief search) but we’ve had a couple of people message us about potential scams. I wanted to get this up so we could all be aware and hopefully avoid being scammed.

#BUYING TICKETS

• First, if you haven’t joined the Lyte wishlist make sure you do. Those are verified tickets. If you get a ticket elsewhere make sure you take your name off the list.
  Weekend 1
  Weekend 2

• Stubhub is the only guaranteed third party site. If you buy a ticket and it doesn’t work for whatever reason Stubhub will find you a new one.

• Remember that Coachella will always side with the original buyer. If you purchase tickets from someone and they turn out to be a scam you will not receive any support from Coachella, Festival Ticketing, etc.

• The original buyer can call and report the tickets as lost/stolen at anytime. Even if you have registered the wristbands under your name. Registering the wristbands guarantees they are real, but it does not guarantee they will work.

• If you are buying from someone on here please check out their post history. If they are a brand new account and they haven’t posted anything aside from a ticket sales comment chances are they are trying to scam someone. Obviously this isn’t always the case. But if I were buying a ticket I’d feel more comfortable buying from someone who has been active on here for a while.

• I would highly advise against paying with Venmo, wire transfer, etc.

• If you are paying with cash please do whatever you can to make sure this person can’t disappear on you. Meet at their house or work, or even a police station! Take a photo of their license with their address showing, get a confirmation email and verify the name on their license matches the name on the confirmation email, add them on social media and maybe make note of some of their friend’s or family’s name (one time someone on the Facebook page got scammed. They messaged the guy’s dad and were able to get their money back!) You can even draw up a simple contract that states who is buying what from whom (if anyone has any examples of this I can include it). These aren’t 100% guaranteed ways of avoiding a scam. But if someone were trying to scam you and you did all of the above they would likely back out.

• If you pay with PayPal make sure you pay as goods/services NOT as a gift.

• Coachella recently changed the willcall rule and no longer allows alternate pickups. Some people were able to slip through the cracks last year, but just keep this in mind of a seller suggests this.

• A user has been making new accounts and scamming multiple people. They use the same phone number: (916)204-****

  #SELLING TICKETS

• Everyone always talks about being scammed while buying a ticket, but you can also be scammed while selling a ticket. It doesn’t happen as often, but it’s still possible.

• Keep in mind that transactions on PayPal (maybe other platforms as well? I’ve heard stories about Venmo) can always be reported as fraudulent.

• I believe PayPal requires you to provide tracking information. I don’t think they cover in person transactions.

If I have missed anything please let me know.

#Edit: Likely/potential scammers

Anyone with the phone number (916)204-****. They have scammed/tried to scam multiple people and are continuing to make new accounts after we block them. They are saying their name is Sofia.

Wtpsports@gmail.com. Says their name is Jenny Guan.

The PayPal email address they used is jordanaberra@gmail.com. Claims their name is Sofia. They keep making new accounts so please be careful. Other scammers: douglasstillings@gmail.com and dominicy713@gmail.com, Sarah Hopkins, Kelly and Riley.