TOPSFIELD – It’s the oldest fair in the country and a staple of New England. The Topsfield Fair now faces a new challenge: battling scammers who pretend to sell tickets to the fair’s shows and events – tickets that aren’t needed and don’t exist.

Visitors to the Topsfield Fair must purchase an admission ticket to enter through the main entrance. This ticket gives you access to the grounds, exhibits, concerts, and more. They currently sell for $15 each.

No additional tickets are required for concerts and events

Earlier this week, James O’Brien, the general manager of the Topsfield Fair, began receiving calls from visitors who had purchased extra tickets online for events at the arena. Take 38 Special’s upcoming concert, for example. The problem is that you don’t need an extra ticket to see the events at the arena. It’s included in the price of admission to the fair.

“I was extremely disappointed because I feel like our customers work hard for their money,” O’Brien said. “I don’t want anyone to get ripped off. We’re all about value. We sell tickets in advance for $15.”

Topsfield Police began investigating and posted an image of the fake website on their social media pages with the warning: “All Topsfield Fair tickets on this website are fake as Topsfield Fair does not sell tickets for entry to the arena.”

Tickets for the Topsfield Fair are sold only on the website TopsfieldFair.org or in person at the fairgrounds.

Fair visitors spent $99 on fake tickets

O’Brien said some convention attendees have spent between $69 and $99 on these fake tickets. It’s almost impossible to get that money back.

With the fair set to open on October 4, it is especially important to ensure that no one falls for a scam and is tricked into buying tickets they don’t need.

“We’re a New England fair,” O’Brien said. “We’ve been here for over 206 years. That’s a good reputation that we don’t want to ruin with something like this.”