Be wary of counterfeit NBA All-Star game merchandise, tickets

Orlando is starting to see real preparations for this weekend's NBA All-Star game. Portions of city streets are closed, stages are being built and the newest All-Star gear is stocked in the team store.

With each bolt, beam and street closure, the area around the Amway is closer to welcoming the 50,000 people and the more than $60 million they plan to spend.

WFTV's Racquel Asa got a look at all the changes and found out what's being done to make sure the tickets and souvenirs you buy are the real deal.

Making sure you're spending it on the real stuff comes with a price.

"This is a little bag for $150 worth of stuff," shopper Amy Murdock said while laughing.

There are a couple of things to note when you're buying NBA merchandise.

Let's say you're buying a shirt. First, pay attention to the texture. Then you'll want to look at the colors, because if it's faded, it's probably fake. Most importantly, look for the hologram, because if it's not there, it's not real.

"Every year we come across product that is not real, and it's part of the event merchandising business," the NBA's Brian Keegan said.

The NBA has confiscated more than $369 million in fake goods since 1992. That's why the Sheriff's Office, Orlando police and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations will keep an eye out all week.

"Why is Homeland Security involved in this effort? It's a global event, and counterfeiting it doesn't always start here. We see it globally with many of our products," Keegan said.

Scoring a sold-out ticket is no different, unless it's from a website with built-in safeguards or from the box office. Sites like craigslist.org don't offer such a guarantee.

Alexis Garcia said she once bought a fake ticket.

"You're humiliated when you get to the gate and then they turn you down," Garcia said.

Orlando police told us they can only investigate counterfeit tickets if they get a complaint.

The going price for a ticket to the sold-out All-Star game is $500. Be wary of any price significantly lower than that.