Data security breach: What you need to know

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Everyone is still trying to figure out if they are affected by the big data breach involving some of the country's largest corporations and retailers. And being it Opening Day at Fenway Park, beware of ticket scams.

Not too long ago, fans only had two real options for getting tickets on the secondary market - a ticket broker at a storefront, or from a scalper on the street corner. But the Internet and changing business practices have given fans of the Red Sox and other teams a wide variety of options, but not all of them are safe options.

Some teams, like the Red Sox, operate their own reselling programs that are safe for fans, and some online reselling operations guarantee their tickets are authentic.

But then there are online entities and ads that are not safe for fans and offer no guarantee that the ticket they have are actually going to get you into the game.

If a fan is buying a ticket through an online entity like Craigslist or eBay, they really need to be careful about the ticket they are buy, particularly now that fans can print tickets at home. Some unscrupulous sellers will sell the same seat 10 times by distributing the same ticket. "Print at home" is a very convenient option for ticket-holders, but is an easy scam for scalpers.

Fans are eager to get into big events like Opening Day against the Yankees, and the Celtics and Bruins start this month which are also big draws. But those are the events that often come with the biggest price tags on the secondary market.

If you absolutely have to get tickets to a big event, make sure you are going through a reputable dealer that offers some kind of guarantee, particularly if you are using a "print at home" ticket.

Try to stay away from advertisements from unlicensed entities or ad from people who are trying to unload tickets.

Beware the great deal. As of Thursday morning, the lowest-priced seat (not standing room ticket) at StubHub was $123. At Ace Tickets the lowest price was $162. If you see tickets available for significantly less than that, you should be asking more questions about the legitimacy of those tickets.

State law (Chapter 140, section 185D) says licensed resellers can only resell tickets for $2 above face value, plus "costs incurred by said licensee related solely to the procuring and selling of such ticket or other evidence of right of entry and not related to the general business operations of said licensee. Service charges include, but are not limited to, charges for messengers, postage, and long distance telephone calls, extensions of credit and costs attributable there to."

Barbara Anthony, the undersecretary with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, has more about these issues.