Experts Warn of Ticket Scams as Wildcats Head to Final Four

Fans scrambling to find seats for the big game face risks of fraudulent resale tickets.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:21am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented basketball game, with sharp planes of navy, crimson, and gold colors representing the high-stakes tension around obtaining Final Four tickets.The frenzy around securing tickets to the Wildcats' Final Four appearance exposes the risks of fraudulent resale markets.Tucson Today

As the University of Arizona Wildcats basketball team advances to the NCAA Final Four tournament, fans are eager to secure tickets to the high-demand event. However, experts from the Better Business Bureau are cautioning consumers about the potential for ticket scams, especially from unverified resellers on social media and other online platforms.

Why it matters

With the excitement and frenzy around the Wildcats' Final Four appearance, fans may be more vulnerable to falling victim to ticket fraud schemes that could cost them hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The BBB is working to educate the public on how to spot and avoid these scams to protect consumers.

The details

Denisse Alvarez, vice president of the Better Business Bureau Southern Arizona, said fans searching for last-minute tickets are prime targets for resellers looking to take advantage. She warned that deals that seem 'too good to be true' often are, and advised fans to only purchase tickets through official NCAA and Ticketmaster channels. Adam Velazco, a University of Arizona student, said he decided not to try and get resale tickets due to past experiences with being scammed.

  • The Wildcats advanced to the Final Four on April 1, 2026.
  • The Final Four tournament is scheduled for April 4-6, 2026 in Indianapolis.

The players

Denisse Alvarez

Vice president of the Better Business Bureau Southern Arizona.

Adam Velazco

University of Arizona student and Tucson native.

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What they’re saying

“'It's just the hype, and people wanna go, and they start looking at these tickets, and they're like 'Hey, these are half off.' When we have advertising out there that has prices that are just too good to be true, they usually are.'”

— Denisse Alvarez, Vice president, Better Business Bureau Southern Arizona

“'Obviously, when the email hits the browser talking about tickets, it's like 'I would love to go' but is it gonna work out, can I even afford that? I have been scammed by tickets before, just because there's so many websites and you have to like click on the third link down to get the real one, so it's definitely something that deters a lot of people, I think.'”

— Adam Velazco, University of Arizona student

What’s next

The University of Arizona is recommending that fans only purchase Final Four tickets through the official NCAA partner, Ticketmaster, to avoid the risk of fraudulent resale tickets.

The takeaway

This story highlights the importance of consumer vigilance when trying to secure tickets to high-demand sporting events. While the excitement of the Wildcats' Final Four appearance is palpable, fans must be wary of scams and only purchase tickets through verified, official channels to protect themselves from falling victim to ticket fraud.