The state’s beloved Tigers will soon face Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, and with that will be ticket scammers trying to take advantage.

Louisiana Attorney Jeff Landry said fans should use extreme caution when purchasing those must-have tickets on the secondary market.

“It has been a truly historic season for our Fighting Tigers, and playing the title game right here in Louisiana adds to the fun we will have on January 13th,” Landry said in a news release to the American Press. “Unfortunately, we also know that consumers lose millions of dollars each year due to scammers selling phony tickets; so I strongly encourage Tiger fans to be cautious when purchasing tickets to the National Championship game.”

Thanks to the Internet, there are countless ways for consumers to find tickets and connect with online marketplaces, ticket sellers and resellers. Unfortunately, some of them are rip-offs and it’s not always clear how to tell if a ticket is fake.

Landry offered the following tips to consumers hoping to buy tickets:

l Be skeptical of anything that seems too good to be true. Tickets being offered for less than face value should set off alarm bells.

l Stick with reputable ticket brokers and resellers, like The Official Fan-to-Fan Ticket Marketplace run through Ticketmaster, which verifies tickets prior to sale. Tickets being sold through alternative means, such as Craigslist or scalpers outside the stadium, can be hard to verify.

l See if the seller belongs to the National Association of Ticket Brokers, whose members must guarantee every ticket sold on their websites and provide a double-money-back refund if tickets are not delivered.

l Don’t buy fake PDF tickets. The College Football Playoff Ticket Office said no printable PDF tickets will be accepted or considered a valid form of entry for this game.

l Verify mobile tickets. Mobile tickets can only be transferred via the official College Football Playoff app, which is available for download on Apple and Android phones.

l Use payment methods that come with protection. If possible, use a credit card so you have some recourse if the tickets are not as promised. If the tickets are fraudulent, you will not be able get your money back.

l If in doubt, ask the experts. If you have questions about tickets or other game day queries, visit www.collegefootballplayoff.com or contact the College Football Playoff Ticket Office at 469-706-9010 or by email at tickets@collegefootballplayoff.com.

Watch out. Ticket scammers try to fool unsuspecting fans into buying fake tickets. Don’t be their next victim.

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This editorial was written by a member of the American Press Editorial Board. Its content reflects the collaborative opinion of the Board, whose members include Crystal Stevenson, John Guidroz, Jim Beam and Mike Jones.LSU Tiger flags are flying high and proud as fans from all around gather for a game at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

Kirk Meche/Associated Press