With the Super Bowl just around the corner, Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to be on the alert for knock-off team jerseys, counterfeit memorabilia and phony game tickets.

"There are three good reasons not to buy counterfeit goods: theft, quality and security," said Angie Barnett, BBB president & CEO. "Counterfeit items are stolen goods. If you love your team, don’t buy a hat or jersey from someone who has stolen the team’s name and logo for their own profit. And counterfeit items are almost always more cheaply made, which means they won’t last as long as the real thing."

But you may have an even bigger problem if you try to buy counterfeit memorabilia online. Several BBBs around the country have reported websites that don’t even have any merchandise to sell you…they just want your credit card number and personal information in order to steal your identity or drain your bank account. The best way to ensure you are getting official sports gear is to buy directly from the team or league websites, or from official vendors at the stadium.

Beware of Ticket Scams

Tickets for the big game can be an even bigger rip-off. There are thousands of Super Bowl tickets currently listed on Craig’s List, but the site offers no guarantees of any kind and does not require identification of its listers. Buying in person isn’t always an improvement, as it’s gotten easier and easier for scammers to make fake tickets that look real.

So where can you turn? Sites such as Stub Hub (www.stubhub.com) guarantee your tickets’ authenticity. There were 2,800 tickets available as of Sunday, starting at $2,450 a piece. Ticketmaster (www.ticketexchangebyticketmaster.com) handles ticket exchanges for the NFL, and had over 800 tickets available as of Sunday, starting at $2,864.

A look-a-like site has come to BBB's attention as a result of a consumer complaint received by BBB. "My credit card was charged 59.99 but I did not receive the product," wrote the complainant to BBB. "I sent them a message through their website and have not heard a response."

NFLno17.com claims to be a Baltimore Ravens Official Team Store,however, BBB could not find a physical address associated for the alleged company and a Whois domain search shows that the website was just created this month and is registered in China. Fans may be blinded by purple, but a Chinese domain is a bright red flag that the site is not "official."

 In general, avoid scams by being skeptical of:

Offers that sound "too good to be true"

Pushy sales tactics

Poor quality of merchandise

Offers that require wire transfer of funds

And always check out a business first at www.bbb.org/search.