The Convention Fans Blog

The price of convention success is increasingly becoming ticket scams. And San Diego ComicCon, my little local comic convention, is perhaps the best, or WORST, example of scamsters victimizing eager would-be con goers.

The latest ComicCon ticket scam, announced about noon today on the SDCC Facebook page, are frauds claiming to have permission from ComicCon to change names on badges. These grifters lurk on Craigslist and eBay and claim to be contracted by the convention to change the names on badges. THIS IS A LIE .

Comic-Con International

Beware: It has come to our attention that unaffiliated third parties on sites such as eBay and craigslist have been posting that they have permission from Comic-Con to change names on badges and/or resell badges.

Comic-Con does not issue permission to ANY third parties to change or resell badges.

If you believe you are being scammed or …purposefully misled, please contact your local authorities.

Thank you.

Always use a hefty dose of caution when encountering claims or offers regarding ComicCon tickets that do not come directly from the ComicCon website. Remember these important facts:

• ComicCon DOES NOT mail tickets. EVER. The ONLY way to get a badge for SDCC is to take the bar code, emailed to you by EPIC, to the Registration area at the Convention Center the week of ComicCon. The licensed secretarial agency personnel there will take your bar code printout and make a badge for you on the spot.
• There is no such things as advance tickets See above.
• You CAN return a ticket for a refund The demand is so high for ComicCon tickets that the event knows they can totally resell a ticket if you have something that comes up and you can’t go after all. So 1) You can get a refund and 2) This means that ComicCon will have another ticket sale event, THROUGH THEIR ONE AND ONLY TICKET SALE AGENT LINKED TO FROM THEIR WEBSITE, after the June 20 refund date is past.
• Beware theft at the event The sad fact is that people are monsters. There have been incidents of thieves going up to ComicCon attendees in wheelchairs and ripping their tickets off them and running away. Regardless of your mobility level, keep your badge around your neck and pinned to your apparel. Like kickin’ it in Times Square in New York, be aware of your surroundings and the locations of your valuables. Remain politely suspicious of everyone around you.

And, as always, remember the timeless rule of “If it looks too good to be true, it isn’t”.