Thieves stealing barcodes from pictures of event tickets posted on social media

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you're lucky enough to have tickets to see the Texans play in person, be careful what you do with those tickets. If you're not, someone could use your tickets without even taking them from you.

The problem is with barcodes and social media. So parents, don't let your kids post pictures of tickets with barcodes on places like Twitter and Facebook.

"I try to tell people all the time don't post barcodes, don't post barcodes and they are like, 'Why?'" said Kayla Ramsey with Midtown Tickets.

Ramsey says barcodes can be copied from pictures of real tickets and printed on homemade tickets. That would let someone else into the event while the real ticket holder gets shut out.

Another reason to keep the barcode covered is because scam artists can make fakes and sell them to unsuspecting concert goers.

"Looks close enough to where you'll be comfortable to just going to the venue without the person that sold them to you," Ramsey said.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the next event that will bring thousands of ticket buyers to Houston.

If you buy tickets for any of the concerts, don't post pictures of the barcodes.

"Putting that ticket up on social media, be really careful about that. Put your hand over the barcode, put the other end of it up," said Leroy Shafer with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Shafer says while it is rare, rodeo concert goers have fallen victim to ticket scams.

"Another thing that we see happen is that someone will come in with their tickets, they'll get scanned in, someone else takes them outside and sell them," he said.

It does not take much expertise to transfer ticket barcodes and then resell a ticket online. So be sure your kids know to keep the barcodes covered.
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