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The Airdrie Pro Rodeo is urging fans not to purchase tickets from a fake website posing as an official seller.
In a public alert issued Thursday, organizers confirmed that all legitimate tickets are sold exclusively through www.airdrierodeo.com via Zeffy, and that they are actively working to report and remove the fraudulent site.
The Better Business Bureau says fake ticket listings and spoofed websites are a growing threat as summer events ramp up.
"Every year we see fake websites and advertisements pop up offering everything from concert tickets to vacation rentals," said Mary O’Sullivan-Andersen, president and CEO of BBB Serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay.
"Organized crime and everyday scammers are getting more and more sophisticated. These sites can look almost identical to the real thing."
She said consumers should verify that website names and URLs match exactly, confirm contact details, and be cautious of unusually low prices or poor spelling.
"Always use a business that you know and trust," she said. "Pay with a credit card in case you need to dispute a charge later. Look for 'HTTPS' in the web address — the extra 's' stands for secure. It’s not foolproof, but it’s one more signal that the site is legitimate."
This isn’t the first time local events have been targeted by scam or impersonator accounts.
In November 2023, Airdrie’s Santa Claus Parade committee flagged multiple fake Facebook event listings that copied the official page’s images and descriptions. Organizers warned the copycat pages could mislead residents into paying fake entry or registration fees, though no confirmed reports of fraud were received.
The Airdrie Pro Rodeo runs June 28 to July 1 at the rodeo grounds west of the city and is one of Alberta’s longest-running professional rodeos. Tickets are only sold through the rodeo’s official website.
Anyone who encounters a suspicious listing or seller is asked to report it to the Airdrie Pro Rodeo committee or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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