D on ’ t L et Y our T een G et S cammed : A G uide to S afe C oncert T icket P urchases
Is your teen ecstatic to purchase concert tickets for the first time? While they may be ready to hand over their savings to get front-row seats to Olivia Rodrigo or Ariana Grande, they should be well-informed on how to safely purchase tickets. With digital tickets now being the primary format for stadium
events, selling counterfeit tickets is easier than ever. According to the Better Business Bureau, reports of ticket scams have spiked from 13,168 to 16,762 from 2020 to 2022 alone. With top-selling music artists going on tour recently, including Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, scammers have taken advantage of younger, inexperienced ticket buyers. These online swindlers use social media like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to offer ticket deals that are too good to be true. Safety Tips Every Buyer Needs to Follow While you may know the tried-and-true signs of an illegitimate listing or scammer, your teen may not. Meanwhile, even the most seasoned concertgoers receive impressively realistic (yet fake) tickets and show up at the venue just to be turned away. For everyone to stay safe, there are some essential rules you should follow when purchasing tickets online.
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Always buy tickets from official websites and double-check that the URL is correct. Some scammers create look-alike sites to fool buyers. If buying tickets from a resale site, ensure they are part of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB), which confirms they are legitimate. Never purchase tickets through an individual on social media or Craigslist. If buying from a person, only do so from someone you know, like a friend, coworker, or relative. Don’t buy tickets with peer-to-peer payment services such as Zelle, Venmo, or CashApp. If the purchase is a scam, these platforms don’t have buyer protection like credit cards. Make sure the section and seat number really exist at the venue.
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If you and your teen follow these tips, you can ensure they are safely spending their money and will actually see the show of their dreams!
M eet D ina K hismatulina
Passion for the Profession
When you talk with Dina Khismatulina, it’s easy to see the passion she has for what she does and the people around her. For nine years, Dina has played a vital role in The Manely Firm’s success. Today, she is a partner and manager of two of the firm’s offices, leading the efforts in Midtown (Atlanta) and downtown Lawrenceville. Dina was born and raised in Russia and earned her law degree there before moving to the U.S. in 2003. After moving to the States, she earned her master’s in law and sat the bar exam.
In the meantime, she had applied to join The Manely Firm.
“My plan was to work in international family law. That appealed to me since I had my background being in another country. In turn, the fact that The Manely Firm worked internationally appealed to me,” Dina remembers. “I was in the middle of my interview process here when I learned that I had passed the bar exam. I was excited when Michael offered me a position. Before long, I had started my new role in Marietta.” Dina kept learning and growing. In time, she became head of the Atlanta office and was eventually asked to cover the Lawrenceville office. “I really like working with both offices and experiencing how each has its own style and feel,” she explains. “One of my favorite parts of what I do is the chance to work with my team members … I’m surrounded by amazing professionals. They are such a bright group of individuals. I have some team members who speak five languages. I learn something new every day.” Dina’s world is made richer by her family: her husband, Alexander, who is also from Russia; their daughter, 15-year-old Sasha; and their son, 5-year-old Marat. In her free time, she enjoys time with their dog, Scout. She also loves playing tennis, cooking and traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and engaging with community organizations that support families and children. Looking to the future, Dina is eager to continue building success for others with her passion for what she does. She emphasizes, “I love what I do and coming to work each day and making a difference with international family law as we work with people all over the world.”
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www.allfamilylaw.com
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