For lots of us, the summer means ball parks and baseball. If fans strike out trying to buy tickets from the team box office, they may turn to online ticket-resale websites. There are several websites similar to e-Bay, which focus primarily on auctioning tickets to sporting events and concerts.

There are some advantages to purchasing tickets through a website like StubHub.com. Often the tickets are cheaper than the ball park price--and may be tickets to "sold-out" events.

Even though StubHub guarantees its tickets, scammers have found ways to cheat consumers by selling tickets that aren't as advertised. Consumer complaints include seats in nose-bleed sections, even though they paid for closer seats and seats that aren't in the same section, and not even receiving tickets.

To avoid getting scammed, take some precautions. First, use a reputable website and never deal directly with the seller. StubHub can only guarantee your tickets when you follow its protocol. Second, do not ever pay via wire transfer or cashier's check, as there is no way to recover that money if you don't get your tickets. Use the system of payment the site recommends. Many sites use the PayPal system and that takes the money directly from your account. This way your bank will have a history of the transaction. Finally, most sites allow you to check sellers' history of satisfied customers-make sure you read and leave reviews for future customers.