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Mad Rio hunt for game tickets, scalpers dodge cops

By WTOP Staff

ALAN CLENDENNING
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — After an overnight flight from the United States, Greg Thomas swigged a beer Wednesday afternoon on a sidewalk near Rio’s famed Maracana stadium and raised his arm high into the air with four fingers displayed to attract scalpers who might sell him and three friends tickets to get into the Ecuador-France World Cup game.

They were willing to pay about $500 each, but the asking price from scalpers working the crowds and dodging police was $1,000 per ticket just before the game started. That didn’t leave Thomas angry, but wondering whether he and his old college buddies would manage to get into a game during their reunion for a one-week Brazil soccer trip.

“Scalpers are scalpers, they’re going to gouge you wherever you go,” said Thomas, 33, of Denver, Colorado. “And remember, this is the World Cup.”

The intense search for tickets outside Maracana was a lot tougher Wednesday because police boosted security after 88 ticketless Chilean fans broke through barriers at the stadium’s media entrance last week and rampaged through the press center, busting down temporary walls while trying to find a way into the stands.

As fans from around the world held up hand-scrawled signs looking for tickets, police identified scalpers by watching for tickets and money changing hands among the hordes of fans arriving at the stadium’s main entrance points. They took into custody sellers from countries ranging from Britain to Russia accused of trying to unload tickets for prices higher than the official FIFA price range of $90 to $175.

Brazilian scalpers got creative in response, finding ticket buyers close to the stadium and then accompanying them outside the police perimeter to strike deals at a nearby gas station.

Among them was Norwegian security company manager Marten Skjelvik, who managed to get two tickets for $900, but acknowledged taking a big risk to do so. He only had about half of the money on him and the gas station ATM didn’t work with his bank card, so Skjelvik agreed to drive around Rio in a taxi with two friends of the scalper in search of an ATM that would work. Skjelvik’s Norwegian friend stayed with the scalper who had the tickets.

The gas station is near a sprawling hillside Rio slum, and Skjelvik was worried that’s where they were headed. He felt safer when the cab started heading downtown, but got nervous again when his card didn’t work at another ATM. The men started talking loudly among themselves in Portuguese. Finally, another ATM spit out money, and the men took him back to close the deal.

“I only did this because I really wanted to see the match,” said Skjelvik, 32, who didn’t mind paying more than the official FIFA rate because scalping “happens everywhere.”

Other fans, particularly from Latin American countries, were getting desperate as game time approached and they couldn’t afford the inflated prices.

Ecuadorean discotheque manager Jonathan Maffare and five friends who came with him to Brazil had enough money to pay $400 per ticket but were only getting offers of $1,000 each from Brazilian scalpers. While they could have pooled their money so a few could buy tickets, a decision was made that all would go or none would. They took their anger out on Brazilian government officials who worked hard to pitch the country as a great place for the World Cup.

“Brazil isn’t coming through with the sales pitch it used to get the cup,” Maffare said. “We thought prices for tickets would be at least double what FIFA was selling them for, but not triple or more.”

Selling tickets to sporting events for prices higher than face value is a crime in Brazil punishable by up to two years in prison. Police arrested more than 50 people from 17 different countries for scalping around Maracana at the first two games there. They did not have a number of arrests available for Wednesday’s game, said police Lt. Col. Marcelo Rocha.

Those arrested for scalping were taken to police stations and released after signing a document pledging to show up for a court date.

Online commerce in Brazil isn’t as well-entrenched as it is in the United States and other countries. Though some ticket resellers advertise World Cup tickets, the sites are in Portuguese and Brazilians themselves frequently don’t trust them as much as buying tickets in person.

Another impediment to online World Cup sales in Brazil is that most online purchases must be made via electronic transfer from Brazilian bank accounts or credit cards.

___

Associated Press writer Emma Santos contributed to this story from Rio de Janeiro

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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