PITTSBURGH — As the NFL Draft approaches and hundreds of thousands of people make plans for the big event, scammers are hard at work looking to steal your money and personal information.
From rentals and fake tickets to fraudulent retail shops, Caitlin Driscoll with the Better Business Bureau of Western PA has a warning for what consumers need to keep an eye out for.
Driscoll says scammers target consumers with fake rental listings since hotels fill up so quickly.
“Sometimes these listings are real units that a scammer doesn’t own,” Driscoll tells Channel 11. “Other times, the units could be entirely fake altogether.”
The BBB says to cross-reference the listing on multiple sites to make sure the photos and details are the same, and always verify the address.
“Use map apps prior to booking to verify those locations,” Driscoll says. “If one isn’t available, verify the property address immediately upon receiving that information.”
Depending on what platform you’re using to book, get familiar with their policy for fraud.
Then there are tickets for the big event. Keep in mind, the draft is free to attend.
“You do have to register through the NFL OnePass App in advance, though,” Driscoll adds. “There are some paid packages that provide different access, but again, those are going to be sold through the NFL through the Draft Experience, legitimate sources.”
If you encounter a website or person selling tickets, or encouraging fans to enter a giveaway for exclusive packages, do your homework before handing over your personal information, which could be used for identity theft.
Lastly, scammers may try to trick you with counterfeit merchandise. Be careful where you shop.
“Scammers may create and promote imposter websites that imitate legitimate platforms, legitimate retailers to steal money and personal information,” Driscoll said. “Maybe merchandise specific to the 2026 NFL draft or your favorite sports team.”
Driscoll says to stay away from cash and cash apps. Use your credit card; that way, you have the most recourse if something doesn’t arrive or isn’t what it claims to be.
If you run into any of these scams, please report them to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.
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