As Deltopia weekend approaches, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is alerting partygoers to a growing scam targeting those looking to join the festivities.

A ticketing app is offering prepaid tickets for parties in Isla Vista, but the Sheriff’s Office wants to advise everyone that these paid parties violate local laws, and could lead to fines or party shutdowns.

Santa Barbara County Ordinance 36-6 outlines public nuisance violations that apply to areas of Isla Vista during the Deltopia weekend. That includes any social gathering, concert, or party at which a ticket, fee, donation, or other purchase is required as a condition for entry to the event.

Sheriff’s deputies will be actively shutting down these illegal gatherings and citing organizers. And if you’ve already paid for a ticket, you likely won’t be getting your money back once the event is dispersed.
 
To make matters worse, some residents are reporting fraudulent event listings on party apps, with scammers posting fake parties at unsuspecting addresses, the Sheriff’s Office said.

These listings collect nonrefundable ticket fees from unsuspecting buyers, leaving both partygoers and property owners out of pocket.

The Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with local residents and property owners to track down these fraudulent events and will be monitoring these locations throughout the weekend.

Tickets for Deltopia parties aren’t just a waste of money; they’re likely a scam.