As the Family Day long weekend approaches, Big White Ski Resort in B.C.’s Okanagan is gearing up for one of its busiest weekends of the season.
However, even as business booms, resort Senior Vice President Michael J. Ballingall warns slope seekers of a specific kind of scam.
“Ever since we went with a total online ticketing system because of the COVID-19 pandemic we noticed there were a lot more people committing ticket fraud.”
Ballingall said the ticket office saw close to $50,000 in fraudulent tickets last year alone.
Scammers will buy tickets with stolen credit cards then turn around and resell them on social media or other websites.
Once the card is reported stolen, the resorts would then be notified before the guests even reach the mountain.
“We turn the ticket off and that family shows up at our ticket office and they’re really upset that the tickets don’t work and they purchased it from an online seller and they have to buy new tickets,” said Ballingall.
Lots of people are expected to make the trip from the Lower Mainland or Alberta for this Family Day long weekend.
Big White sales Manager Andrew Daly suggests ski trip planners stick to reputable sites for their lift tickets.
“I think one of the most important things, like any event or any resort, you always want to ensure you’re buying tickets through the proper channels,” said Daly.
In the event that anyone purchases tickets online which turn out to be fake, the resort will not replace them.
At the moment, there are a number of different deals available on the ski hill’s website. The resort is not affiliated with third parties.