Stay safe, scam-free at the Winter Olympic Games

The parents of Team USA bobsledder Steve Mesler had it all figured out.

Through an Internet contact, they paid $8,000 to rent a condo at Whistler. The plan was to watch their son compete in the Games, but it ends up the person who took their money doesn’t have any property to rent.

Police say the same scam artist bilked two women out of $2,500 wired as a down payment on a rental property in Vancouver.

The 2010 Winter Games don’t officially begin until February 12th, but the Olympics-related scams are already well underway.

“This sort of thing happened during the Olympics in Beijing and in Salt Lake City,” said Mark Fernandes of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Mainland British Columbia.

And it’s not just accommodations and travel packages. “We expect there to be a rise in fraud relating to counterfeit tickets and bogus Olympics souvenirs and collectibles too.” Fernandes said. That’s why the BBB is joining law enforcement, tourism agencies and consumer protection groups in urging anyone heading to the Olympics to do their homework and follow some common-sense safety rules.

See the Games — the real ones
If you haven’t bought tickets yet, don’t give up. U.S. residents can still find entry for some events through the authorized U.S. ticket reseller CoSport and through official ticket auctions and the fan-to-fan marketplace set up by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC). Tickets may not be cheap, but you will know they are official.

Tickets available through Web sites such as Craigslist and eBay may look legitimate and have all the correct markings, but you may learn otherwise once you try to get into an Olympics venue. “Although we’d hate to do it,” said VANOC’s Caley Denton, “we’d have to turn you away.”

If you do decide to buy tickets online, BBB suggests you at least ask to see a receipt or the paperwork showing where the tickets came from. If the seller says tickets were originally purchased from VANOC or CoSport, have the seller log onto his or her account and print out a proof of purchase.

People also must be wary of buying tickets for events that don’t exist. BBB’s Fernandes said a popular scam is to sell tickets with incorrect dates and venues. “So check the schedule and make sure you know what you’re buying,” he said.

Secure souvenirs
The same advice goes for souvenirs and collectibles. Officially-licensed Vancouver 2010 merchandise will have a tag with a specially designed hologram on it as proof that the item is authentic. But plenty of fake, unofficial, counterfeit and unlicensed items will surely show up for sale online and in town.

If you want to take home collectible items that may someday increase in value, both VANOC and the BBB suggest that in addition to buying something with an official hologram tag, you research the value of the memorabilia you’re buying and purchase your items from authorized stores and kiosks.

If you’re buying anything online, use a credit card so you have the option of a chargeback.