Purdue police investigating reports of fraud related to purchasing basketball tickets

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University Police Department is investigating several reports of fraud related to attempted purchases of Purdue men’s basketball tickets.  

According to police, the fraudulent tickets are often posted on the mobile group messaging app, GroupMe. The person trying to sell the tickets poses as a student and sends the potential purchaser a picture of an ID card of an actual Purdue student, one who may have already fallen victim to the scam.

Police say these scams have also occurred on Facebook Marketplace. The person trying to sell the tickets texts with the potential purchaser in an attempt to gain their confidence, and then asks for the payment through online transaction platforms, including Venmo and Zelle. 

“We understand the demand for basketball tickets is extremely high right now, but we ask that those looking to purchase tickets remain alert and vigilant,” said Purdue police chief Lesley Wiete. “We recommend not purchasing tickets over mobile applications or from people you do not know.”

To report fraud related to basketball tickets, please contact PUPD at 765-494-8221. Police recommend purchasing tickets through StubHub, the official secondary ticketing partner of Purdue Athletics.