Rodeo warns of ticket scams

Elizabeth Stampede tickets should be purchased through o cial website

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo is among many ticketed events across the country that are falling prey to fraudulent ticket sellers using social media scams and sellers that charge exorbitant prices.

“ is isn’t an Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo issue, this is an internet scam issue,” said Lee Anne Russell, member of the Elizabeth Stampede Foundation Board of Directors in a phone interview from March 28. “Rodeos all over the country are experiencing the same problem.”

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Following the resignation of three Elizabeth School Board members, Mary Powell was appointed on March 14 to one of the vacant seats, where she will serve as board secretary.

Powell is a 22-year Elizabeth resident who identi es as Christian and is currently living out her retirement with her husband, Dave. She was chosen for the board by remaining members Rhonda Olsen and Heather Booth.

I have been retired for four years after a 30-year legal career. I was a paralegal in law rms doing business litigation. I also worked in the corporate world as a senior contracts manager for a medical supply company. I am married. I have two grown daughters and two grown granddaughters.

What is your experience with the Elizabeth School District?

About 10 years ago, our two granddaughters lived with us for about a year and went to the schools here. So I have one year of experience with the school district.

We’ve lived here for 22 years altogether in the school district and in Elizabeth.

Why did you want to be a part of the Elizabeth School District Board of Education?

I really feel like God de nitely funneled me into this. I have to admit that up until probably the last few years, I always felt school boards were one of those “throwaway” elections. And then I started hearing this national stu going on with di erent school boards and I thought, “holy moly, what is going on here?” So that started to bring it to my attention more.

en, through one of my prayer groups, we were praying generally for the board and that they would be blessed and that everything would be ne. en somebody ere are two possibilities that Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo ticket buyers should be on the lookout for:

1. Fraudulent social media accounts are attempting to sell tickets before they have o cially gone on sale to the public. ese accounts are likely automated bots that are pinged when the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo makes event announcements.

“We started to have bots trying to sell fraudulent tickets for the concert before they were even on sale,” said Russell. “If you look at their pro les on Facebook, there isn’t a lot of substance behind them. is is universal. We see it across the board with other rodeos.”

2. Unauthorized third-party ticketing sites are selling event tickets at exorbitant prices. ese sites function by selling tickets to the buyer

SEE RODEO, P2