Craigslist Scammer Charged

Oregon police arrested a man in connection with a counterfeit ticket scam on Craigslist.

As many as 400 people were turned away at Rascal Flatts concert at the Portland Rose Garden April 4th, the local KVAL-TV reported, and many of the unsuspecting buyers purchased those tickets through Craigslist.

Victims reportedly paid upward of $50 per ticket to the sold-out show advertised by Brandon Ruddick on the site, only to find out the tickets were bogus. The seller was unavailable for follow-up.

"This guy sold me a fake ticket and he didn’t contact me all weekend, and finally when he hears the media is after him, he contacts me," ticket buyer Richard Stadig told KATU News. "We had a little operation set down to maybe get his face on camera and say, ‘Watch out for this guy.’"

When Ruddick met with Stadig to refund his money, he also told the station’s news team he planned to provide refunds for the fake tix.

"I am very sorry, and I am doing my best to get the money back," Ruddick said. "I didn’t mean to rip anybody off. That’s why I’m giving the money back."

A week later, however, it appeared at least one ticket buyer hadn’t received a refund as a Craigslist poster wrote, "You burned me on Rascal Flatts … get right on the refund," in attempts to contact the seller.

Ruddick has been charged with theft and criminal possession of a forged instrument, as well as on an outstanding warrant for identity theft in a neighboring county.