False Events Detected by Profeco
Iván Escalante Ruiz, the head of Mexico’s Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (Profeco), announced the detection of false events being promoted on social media and websites. He highlighted concerns about ticket prices for these fake events, some of which were priced in dollars or had unrealistic values.
Specific False Events Identified
Through consumer complaints and Profeco’s monitoring, two false events were identified: the immersive experience “Titanic The Exhibition” and the Siam Events Fest, a Thai festival. Despite announcements of these events taking place in Mexico, specifically at Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Nuevo León, and in major cities like Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, they did not materialize.
The “Titanic The Exhibition” was a legitimate project in other countries but never reached Mexico as planned. Meanwhile, the Siam Events Fest, organized by Siamvibes, was announced to be held in Mexico’s major cities; however, personnel at the designated venues reported no knowledge of such an event.
Profeco’s Recommendations to Avoid Scams
To prevent falling for fraudulent events, Iván Escalante provided the following recommendations:
- Verify ticket sales on official websites. This ensures that you are purchasing tickets from a legitimate source.
- Check event posters at the designated venues. This confirms that the event is indeed scheduled to take place at those locations.
- Ensure ticket prices are displayed in Mexican pesos. This practice is mandated by the Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor, or the Federal Consumer Protection Law.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are false events? False events are those that are advertised and promoted but never actually take place. In this case, Profeco detected events like “Titanic The Exhibition” and Siam Events Fest, which were announced to be held in Mexico but never materialized.
- Who is Iván Escalante Ruiz? Iván Escalante Ruiz is the head of Mexico’s Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (Profeco), the federal consumer protection agency responsible for safeguarding consumers’ rights and preventing fraud.
- Why should I verify ticket sales on official websites? Verifying ticket sales on official websites ensures that you are purchasing tickets from a legitimate source, reducing the risk of falling for scams.
- What should I do to confirm an event’s legitimacy? Check event posters at the designated venues and ensure ticket prices are displayed in Mexican pesos, as mandated by the Federal Consumer Protection Law.
