CHARLOTTE, N.C. People buying event tickets and hotel rooms for next week’s Democratic National Convention could be targeted by scammers, officials say.

Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont President Tom Bartholomy said credentials to see President Barack Obama deliver his acceptance speech at Bank of America Stadium, which were handed out recently, will likely go on sale on Craigslist and eBay. But the BBB warns that some credentials sold by third parties could be counterfeit.

Bartholomy said legitimate credentials have security features. People with fake tickets will be turned away, he said.

Another warning from the BBB involves a Missouri ticket broker who has been linked to recent Craigslist ads for a “Democratic National Convention/Hotel Helpline.”

Wendell Southerland, who lives near St. Louis, was accused earlier this year of tricking a football fan out of $5,200 for Super Bowl tickets, officials said.

The BBB said Southerland booked 10 rooms at Charlotte Marriott City Center in advance of the DNC. The hotel gave Southerland confirmation numbers, but when employees tried to run his credit card for the deposits, the card was rejected, officials said.

This is at least the fourth time in recent months Southerland hasn’t paid after booking rooms for major events, raising concerns that he may try to use hotel confirmation numbers to resell the rooms to visitors, according to the BBB.

In February, a man reported to authorities that he’d paid Southerland $5,200 for Super Bowl tickets that he never received. Officials said Southerland also failed to pay for more than 30 rooms he’d booked at three hotels for next year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.

The BBB urges that people use caution when dealing with Southerland or his business, Ex Sport Group.