3 Arrested For Allegedly Selling Fake Giants Tickets

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Three men have been arrested for allegedly selling fake tickets to New York Giants games, and a renewed call has been issued to be careful where you buy.

As CBS 2's Jessica Schneider reported, the tickets look like the real deal for admission to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium at 4:25 p.m. this coming Sunday.

But police said the tickets were just a few of the dozens of fakes being sold to unsuspecting fans.

"These were counterfeit Giants tickets for Sunday's game," said police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Police said the deal went down outside an office building on Third Avenue in Murray Hill. The buyer found the offer on Craigslist, met the seller, and became suspicious.

He later called the office at MetLife Stadium, where staff confirmed the tickets were fakes.

Ticket experts said the Internet makes it all too easy for scammers.

"With new technologies now, they can do such a good job with tickets that it's almost impossible even for a broker to figure out whether it's a good ticket or not," said licensed ticket broker Greg Cullen. "That's why it's important to not buy tickets off a site like Craigslist."

In this case, once the buyer learned his tickets were bogus, he called police. Officers then set up a sting in Murray Hill.

Officers set up an appointment at the building on Third Avenue and made a purchase of bogus tickets. They immediately arrested the person who sold them, police said.

Outside, they saw a pile of Giants tickets inside a car believed to be associated with the person they arrested. A driver sped off in the car and struck a sergeant who was chasing him, police said.

The sergeant was treated and released for a foot injury, and the getaway driver was also arrested.

In total, police made three arrests, and found at least 100 other fake tickets.

Some sports fans said they know the dangers and stay away from scalpers.

"Oh, I would never buy tickets from someone I don't know," said Frank Sinisi of Long Island. "Like if someone's scalping? Never."

If buying from an unlicensed ticket broker at the last minute is your only option, ticket experts advise buying with a credit card so the purchase can be canceled.

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