TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Counterfeiter Scored At USF-W.Va. Game

ADVERTISEMENT

By Lynn Carson of News Channel 8

Published: October 12, 2007

Video | Photo Gallery

TAMPA - Some football fans who paid to be at the sold-out University of South Florida and West Virginia University game Sept. 28 were left outside.

"We had approximately 50 counterfeit tickets come through," said Eric Book, director of ticket operations.

With another sold-out game Saturday, USF officials don't want their fan scammed again, so they're asking that buyers beware if they score a ticket from a scalper.

The counterfeiter took Ticketmaster tickets from another event and turned them into high-quality fakes that were worthless at the door. The fake tickets are in the hands of Tampa police, but no arrests have been made.

"We cannot help these people out, because they purchased counterfeit tickets. … We have absolutely no control over that," Book said.

Some USF students see the scam as a sign of their school's success. "Wow, we're that popular that people are counterfeiting our tickets? That's crazy," John Sushko said.

"It's not a good thing, but it's a good thing people want to get into USF games that bad," he said.

Student Kyle Keifer agreed.

"That blows my mind. Only huge schools do that," Keifer said. "The ticket scandal, that's big-time. That's awesome."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT