A mom from New York’s Long Island was hit with an unexpected $8,100 bill after she accidentally bought a parking pass while trying to snag FIFA World Cup tickets for her son.
Elizabeth Saitta told NBC New York she used StubHub to buy tickets for the Brazil vs. Morocco match at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium this Saturday. The two seats, which she bought last year as a Christmas gift for her son, cost $772, plus insurance.
But after checking out, Saitta was stunned to see another $8,100 charge.
Somehow, she had mistakenly purchased a parking pass that cost her thousands extra, according to NBC New York’s report. Saitta said she called StubHub to request a refund within “seconds, maybe a minute” of making the purchase.
StubHub initially denied her request, but after NBC New York reached out to the company, they reversed course and processed her refund, according to the report.
“Hallelujah! … It was just amazing,” she said.
When reached for comment, a StubHub spokesperson told The Independent they “can’t speak to the specifics” of customers’ accounts, but confirmed the company “worked with her directly to provide the documentation needed to process her refund, and she received a full refund.”
This year’s World Cup tournament kicked off Thursday in Mexico City. The U.S. is expecting millions of visitors this summer as it hosts more than 70 matches across eleven states. That includes the final game, set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium.
Despite the international excitement surrounding the World Cup, a new poll by Emerson College found many Americans aren’t that interested in the tournament. About 45 percent of U.S. voters aren’t interested in the World Cup at all, while 22 percent said they’re “very interested,” the survey revealed.
“Interest in the World Cup is significantly higher among younger voters than older voters: 38 percent of voters under 40 are very interested in the World Cup, compared to 10 percent of voters 70 and over,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a release.
In recent weeks, FIFA fans have also expressed frustration over the record-high ticket costs. Even President Donald Trump has scoffed at the idea of paying thousands for a seat.
“I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you,” Trump told The New York Post last month when asked about the four-figure prices.
