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The Better Business Bureau of Central & Eastern Kentucky warns basketball fans not to fall for "too-good-to-be-true" ticket deals as they follow the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the Morehead State University Eagles or the University of Louisville Cardinals along the road to the NCAA Championship Game.

"Fans might be tempted to fall for great-sounding ticket prices they see on the Internet or elsewhere," said Jack Frank, President & CEO of the BBB of Central & Eastern Kentucky. "The BBB urges people not to let their good judgment be clouded by the lure of great low-priced tickets, only to end up losing their money to a con artist."

The BBB recommends that If fans buy tickets from an online brokerage, they should check out the company before giving a credit card number or other payment.

"With the popularity of websites such as Craig's List, some tickets may pop up there...but fans should beware of strangers in faraway places who want money wired to them via Moneygram," said Frank. "You are taking a big gamble that the tickets you receive will be fake, or not receive any tickets at all."

If buying travel packages throughout the tournament, the BBB also advises checking out those companies. "Verify reservations so there are no surprises," Frank advised. "And check cancellation or refund policies, in case you cannot go."

The BBB suggests these tips for fans following the teams:

· Check out companies with the BBB. Contact the BBB of Central & Eastern Kentucky at (859) 259-1008 or toll-free (800) 866-6668, or log on to www.bluegrass.bbb.org. If the company is outside Kentucky, look it up on www.bbb.org.

· Use secure websites for online transactions. When buying tickets or making online reservations, look for a padlock on the page, and the letter "s" in the URL (web address) box after the "http." Example: https://www.xyz.com. If neither is present, the site is unsecure and your payment information may not be safe.

· If buying online, beware sellers leading you AWAY from secure, reliable transaction methods such as PayPal, and avoid those who discourage using credit cards. If you use a credit card and something goes wrong, you may be able to dispute the charge with the credit card provider. Beware sellers that want money wire transferred via MoneyGram...there is no way to trace that cash if something goes wrong.

· Buy at your own risk. It is safer to buy from reliable sources. If you buy tickets from unfamiliar sources or scalpers, there is no guarantee that they will be genuine. (Scalping laws vary from state to state.) If a deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is.