Last year, a Justin Beiber concertgoer bought fake tickets, and it seems every year someone shows up to the rodeo with fake or canceled tickets.
When Maria Abu buys tickets for events at Reliant Stadium, she comes to the box office to avoid online fees and real world headaches.
"There are so many different scam artists out there, you do have to be careful and aware of who you are getting tickets from," Abu said.
That's exactly the message officials with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo want everyone to hear.
"There are counterfeit tickets that people need to be concerned about and there are tickets that have been invalidated from our stand point," said Leroy Shafer with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Shafer says when tickets are reported lost or stolen, the rodeo voids them electronically and reissues new ones to the rightful owner.
Shafer says it's not uncommon for a few of those voided tickets to end up in the hands of unsuspecting concertgoers.
"They have been invalidated, they will not work, so be sure and be cautious of who you are buying these tickets from," he said.
Shafer says the biggest problems come from individuals selling tickets online and suggests sticking with companies that have a good reputation rather than buying tickets from a stranger.
Another consideration is how you pay.
"You should pay by credit card or PayPal because they do offer more levels of protection and you do have recourse if the transaction does not go through," said Leah Napoliello with the Houston BBB.
Tickets go on sale online Saturday; the box office will not be open. Two concerts stand out as potential fast sell outs, Usher and Maroon 5, so if you have your heart set on either of these acts, be very careful of buying the tickets from a stranger.
See who's performing at RodeoHouston this year
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