Got scammed, need help

insomniak

Hey so in all honesty I know absolutely nothing about law, and I need some help here.

I bought multiple tickets for a football game from a guy for a total of €775, he gave me a contact in the FAI to ring and they told me that all would be fine once I paid the money for the tickets. I paid the man 4 weeks ago, and it turns out he never gave the money to the FAI, in the meantime he has told me multiple times that he has paid and collected them which I now know to be a total lie.

I have many texts from him regarding all of this, and will be writing a formal complain in the FAI regarding this but my question here is how do I get my money back?

Is it just a lost cause or do I have some ground to do something, and will I have to pay a lot to someone to do it?

I know all of his details are legit due to FAI confirming it so they would have his home address and phone number but I am not sure as to what to do next. Would appreciate any help.

Atlantic Dawn

How did you come in to contact with the guy? Why did you trust him? Do you know if "the contact in the FAI" was actually in the FAI, was it an FAI landline or what?

insomniak

The person he gave me the number of 100% works in FAI headquarters, they have their own office in HQ as I have rang numerous times since. Will be going out there today to write the formal complaint too.

Just struggling on the next stage of actually getting my money back, and also wondering if I should be posting his name/picture up to warn others of dealing with him.

I think I should not do the latter and have no clue how to proceed in terms of getting my money back

CeilingFly

It is absolutley nothing whatsoever to do with the FAI.

You gave money to a "guy" - well, its this "guy" and this guy only that you have an issue with.

insomniak

I am not in any way saying that I want FAI to give me the money. I am asking how I would take him to small claims court, or something along those lines. This is why I am posting and looking for advice.

I am only writing a formal complaint as he has tickets there that I want them to take off him.

Edit: the formal complaint is about the guy in question, nothing to do with giving out about the person in the FAI. He lied to them too and told them the money was sent to their bank account and should be there tomorrow and to release the tickets to me while I was out there. She wants me to write it to get his tickets taken from him, or at least stop him applying for more

CeilingFly

insomniak wrote: »

I am not in any way saying that I want FAI to give me the money. I am asking how I would take him to small claims court, or something along those lines. This is why I am posting and looking for advice.

I am only writing a formal complaint as he has tickets there that I want them to take off him.

Its a private transaction, unless the guy was acting as a company or in a professional capacity the SCC is not available.

If you think you've been defrauded (i.e. He knowingly took your money when he knew that no tickets would be there for you) you could make a statement to the gardai, however depending on the circumstance they may see it as a civil matter and then it would be up to you to take action through a solicitor.

Is there a reason you hand the money over to this guy without getting the tickeys at the same time? Do you know him well to put that level of trust in such a transaction?

insomniak

Similar transactions had previously taken place with this guy but for smaller money and tickets were always given a couple of days later - he lives down the country so face to face meet isn't really possible.


Wasn't really sure if I could or should try to take this matter further, hence why I am on here just looking for some advice. Will tell the contact in FAI that the garda should call her regarding this guy so and file a statement in my local garda station too so today.

Appreciate the help

Mr. Incognito

The Guards I'm afraid is your only bet.

I'd text him and say if the money isnt returned you will be reporting him to the guards.

I'd also contact the FAI

insomniak

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

The Guards I'm afraid is your only bet.

I'd text him and say if the money isnt returned you will be reporting him to the guards.

I'd also contact the FAI

Almost word for word what I said on Monday. Still no sign of it here so am literally on a bus out to fai now so I'll get a copy of the complaint and take it to the guards but who knows if they will do anything.
Thanks all

RossieMan

But why are you complaining to the fai? He's obviously not a registered ticket seller. It's a private sale. Your deal is with the guy, not the fai.

Zillah

RossieMan wrote: »

But why are you complaining to the fai? He's obviously not a registered ticket seller. It's a private sale. Your deal is with the guy, not the fai.

From his first post it sounds like they endorsed the transaction/vouched for the seller in some way.

GBX

Just because they said they told you to contact the FAI - does not mean they have any involvement. You are possibly wasting time going to visit their office instead of just going direct to the Gardai.

CeilingFly

I've re-read the OP - and looks like the FAI shoudl take some responsibility if what the OP says is correct.

"he gave me a contact in the FAI to ring and they told me that all would be fine once I paid the money for the tickets."

So if you did the agreement and then rang the FAI to confirm that the tickets were available and the FAI person said that once you paid, then it will be fine. Howver if they said that once "they are paid for" rather than once "you pay", its a different matter.

Devil is in the exact words spoken and trying to prove that.

Maybe just say that you are being pushed to make a complaint of fraud to gardai, but would prefer not to and to get the tickets. Sometimes the threat is enough.

Atlantic Dawn

Sounds like he is a ticket tout, perhaps contact Revenue to investigate his undeclared income.

Losty Dublin

RossieMan wrote: »

But why are you complaining to the fai? He's obviously not a registered ticket seller. It's a private sale. Your deal is with the guy, not the fai.

The FAI probably won't look fondly at their staff engaging in ticket reselling. I'd give the contact one last chance to deliver the goods, making an emphasis on what his employers would say; after that a call to your local barracks.

prinzeugen

OP I would go to the Garda if you get nothing from the FAI. And do it before the match not after.

I won't go into details here but the situation you are in rings a bell with what I have seen at the Aviva.

You may well get tickets only to find they are duds when you try to enter the ground.