Celtics

MBTA police warn of fake Celtics ticket scams at T stations

By the time the buyer realizes the tickets are fake, the seller has already vanished into a mass of people.

Grant Williams made seven 3-pointers to lift the Celtics past the Bucks in Game 7. Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

May 17, 2022

MBTA officials are warning Boston Celtics fans to be cautious about ticket scams in which secondary sellers ask buyers to meet at busy T stations.

Transit Police issued a public advisory Monday, noting that they have received reports in the past from victims who have agreed to meet with sellers at various MBTA stations. After conducting the sale, the seller quickly disappears into the crowd of people waiting for the T before the buyer has time to realize that the tickets are counterfeit.

With the Celtics and the Heat tipping off in the Eastern Conference Finals in Miami on Tuesday night — and the series scheduled to hit Boston Saturday — officials remind fans to be wary of buying tickets from secondary sources and through advertisements on social media.

Celtics vs. Heat:

Anyone who purchases tickets from sites such as Craigslist or Reddit are running the risk of getting scammed, Transit Police warned.

“We would like to encourage fans to only buy tickets from authorized ticket agencies,” the agency wrote. “Purchasing from other sources is not recommended. Potential ticket buyers should guarantee authenticity by purchasing tickets directly through legitimate/authorized outlets.”

Anyone with information about people selling fake tickets on the MBTA is encouraged to reach out to the Criminal Investigation Unit at 617-222-1050.

Anonymous tips can also be sent by text to 873873 or via the SeeSay app.

Anyone with information about people selling counterfeit tickets in Boston should call the Boston Police Department at 617-343-4500.