The key to not getting scammed while purchasing something online: don’t purchase anything online. Short of that, make sure you’re on a trusted website, something like Amazon or Target, not You Can Count on Us, We Swear or What? Me Worry (you have to spell out the question mark in the URL). Buying concert tickets, however, is much tougher, especially when the show you want to go to is sold out and you’re left resorting to Craigslist.
That’s the problem Tara Stacey faced with Electric Picnic, a festival in Ireland with a lineup ranging from My Bloody Valentine to the Arctic Monkeys. She wanted to go; she found someone selling online. Here’s her story.
This song goes out to a nasty, sneaky and bad-minded man. I bought a ticket from him for Electric Picnic, after seeing his ad online. I knew I was taking a risk, but I got in touch and he seemed to be genuine enough. I transferred the money into his account, and he told me my ticket was in the post there and then, coming to Galway from Kerry via swift post. When the ticket hadn’t arrived 3 days later I gave him a call, and he gruffly assured me it would be there the next day. I am still waiting. His phone has been off ever since, day and night. I’ve been scammed. I gave this man all the money I had saved, only to get nothing in return.
I fully intend to follow this up, but in the meantime I would love for him [Johnathan McLoughlin] to hear this song! People really shouldn’t be so rubbish to each other, and I’d like to remind him of that. I would really appreciate people taking the time to share this video, I want it to make the rounds and eventually get to Johnathan McLoughlin, of Killorglin, Kerry. Thanks to him I have no ticket, and no money to get another one! So curse him and his kind, and may the rest of us take heed. Enjoy! (Via)
You can’t spell “Johnathan McLoughlin” without “con.” A lot of other words, too, but mostly “con.”