When Houston Astros superfan Esmeralda Anguiano saw tickets to Game 2 of the World Series being offered for $500 each, she jumped at the opportunity.
On the other side of the phone, the person advertising the not-so-legitimate deal took her money and ran, she told KPRC, KSAT’s sister station in Houston.
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Anguiano said she first saw the advertisement pop up on OfferUp, a buying and selling app that she’s used before to successfully buy tickets to the 2019 World Series that included her beloved team.
This time, the seller told her to send him the money using Cash App or Zelle, two mobile payment services.
“He told me this is my fiancé's Zelle account, so I sent the money, the $500. So the minutes passed, and I asked him for the ticket, and no ticket,” Anguiano said.
The seller eventually stopped responding to her, she said, so she decided to contact her bank.
She said she told the seller “‘thank you anyway’ with a crying face.”
Her bank later told her that because Zelle transactions are final, they were unable to refund her money.
She added that the same person advertised tickets for $50 cheaper on OfferUp, and she’s received requests for money through CashApp. She told KPRC that she planned on filing a police report.
With the World Series in full swing, Anguiano warned sports fans about ticket scams circulating on social media.
The Better Business Bureau advises ticket buyers to purchase from the venue whenever possible, consider the sources and research the seller if possible.