I’ve spent the last two decades watching Canadians get burned by ticket scams, but the digital marketplace has made things remarkably worse. What happened to Toronto resident Miguel Soares last month is becoming all too familiar across the country.
Soares, a lifelong Blue Jays fan, was hoping to catch a game with friends during the team’s recent homestand. When official channels showed limited availability, he turned to a Facebook group dedicated to ticket resales.
“The prices on Ticketmaster were crazy,” Soares told me when we spoke at a coffee shop near his Leslieville apartment. “I thought I was being smart by cutting out the middle man.”
What followed has become a painfully common story. Soares found a seller offering four tickets at $80 each – slightly below market value but not suspiciously cheap. After exchanging messages, he sent an e-transfer for $320. The tickets never arrived, and the seller’s profile vanished.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reports that ticket scams have surged 34% since 2019, with social media platforms becoming the preferred hunting ground for fraudsters. Facebook Marketplace and ticket exchange groups have become particularly problematic, according to Detective Constable Mike Kidd of the Toronto Police Service’s fraud unit.
“What makes these cases difficult is that many victims send money through methods with no buyer protection,” Kidd explained. “Once that e-transfer is sent, it’s essentially like handing over cash to a stranger.”
The Blue Jays organization has noticed the trend as well. “We strongly encourage fans to only purchase tickets through our official channels or verified resale partners,” said Sebastian Gatica, VP of Ticket Sales and Service for the Toronto Blue Jays.
These scams aren’t limited to baseball. According to Ticketmaster Canada, approximately 12% of Canadians reported being victimized by ticket fraud in the past three years, with losses averaging $250 per incident.
What makes these scams particularly effective is their psychological sophistication. Fraudsters often create convincing profiles, complete with regular posting histories and mutual friends. They engage in natural conversation and sometimes provide partial documentation that appears legitimate.
“I’ve been covering consumer fraud for years, and the level of social engineering has evolved dramatically,” says Ellen Roseman, consumer advocate and former Toronto Star columnist. “These scammers understand the emotional pull of wanting to attend a popular event, and they exploit that desire.”
For Soares, the experience has been frustrating on multiple levels. His credit card company couldn’t help since he used an e-transfer. Facebook’s reporting system yielded no results. And while he filed a police report, he was told the chances of recovering his money were slim.
“What bothers me most is knowing this person is probably still out there, doing the same thing to other fans,” Soares said.
To protect yourself, experts recommend several precautions. First, use only official platforms like Ticketmaster or StubHub that offer buyer guarantees. If using social media, research the seller thoroughly and request video verification where the seller shows the tickets with their name visible. Never use payment methods without purchase protection, such as e-transfers or cash apps.
The Blue Jays also offer a ticket exchange program through their official app, providing a secure way for season ticket holders to resell unused tickets.
Some provincial governments have started taking notice of the growing problem. Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act offers some recourse for victims of fraud, though pursuing claims can be complicated. Quebec has implemented stricter regulations around ticket resales, including requirements that sellers prove they possess valid tickets before listing them.
Technology solutions are emerging as well. Some platforms now use blockchain to create verifiable digital tickets that can’t be duplicated or falsified. Meanwhile, major sports leagues are exploring unified ticket systems that would make verification simpler for casual buyers.
For fans like Soares, the experience has changed how he approaches ticket buying. “I’m sticking to official channels from now on, even if it means paying a bit more,” he told me. “The peace of mind is worth it.”
The broader issue speaks to how technology has reshaped consumer vulnerability. What was once a relatively simple transaction—buying a ticket to a baseball game—has become a complex digital minefield where determining legitimacy requires increasing vigilance.
As the Blue Jays push toward playoff contention and ticket demand rises, the potential for fraud will likely increase. Fans should remain vigilant, and perhaps remember that sometimes the old ways—buying directly from the box office—might still be the safest bet of all.
