Eagles Fan Scammed Out of $1,000 Buying Home Opener Tickets - Police Advise Fans How to Stay Safe

A Philadelphia Eagles fan’s excitement for the team’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys turned into a nightmare after he was scammed while trying to purchase tickets online.

According to TickPick.com, fans were paying an average of $774 to get into the highly anticipated game. EJ Brady, a lifelong fan from Havertown, explained that he usually buys tickets from a friend, but when that option wasn’t available, he turned to a Facebook group called “Eagles Tickets.!!! Buying and Selling Exchange.”

“It sounded legit the whole time,” Brady said. “I just wanted to get these tickets to take my wife.”

Brady found a user claiming to sell tickets for $300 each. Before completing the transaction, he even checked with a group administrator to verify the seller. “He told me the guy’s legit,” Brady recalled. “So, I sent him over the $600, and then he tells me like an hour later that he couldn’t divide up the tickets.”

Eventually, the seller convinced Brady to purchase four tickets. Brady sent $1,000 through Apple Cash — only to be blocked soon after. “All of a sudden, I was blocked,” Brady said, adding that both the seller and the group administrator ignored him and disappeared with the money.

Brady reported the situation to Facebook and the Federal Trade Commission. However, Facebook said it wasn’t aware of any fraudulent activity linked to that group, which has over 10,000 followers.

Experts say online ticket scams like this are becoming more sophisticated. Villanova University computer science professor Venkat Margapuri explained: “They make it look like they’re legitimate sellers, but then they have essentially built their reputation over time to fool people.”

Margapuri advised fans to watch for red flags: sellers who pressure you to act quickly, refuse to transfer tickets through official platforms, or offer prices that seem too good to be true. “If the ticket price appears too good to be true, it probably is,” he said.

Fans are encouraged to buy only from verified sellers like Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, or Vivid Seats, or if purchasing through social media, to always use a credit card so disputes can be filed.

Authorities’ Warning to Eagles Fans

Local officials and consumer protection agencies are now urging Eagles fans to be extra cautious heading into the season. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office confirmed it has received complaints of similar scams in the past, and warned that fraudsters often target fanbases of high-demand teams like Philadelphia.

Police say fans should:

• Avoid using payment apps like Apple Cash, Venmo, or Zelle, which don’t offer buyer protection.

Authorities emphasized: “If the deal feels rushed, pressured, or too good to be true — walk away. It’s better to miss one game than to lose your hard-earned money.”