CROSBY, Texas – Axel Garza is a true Astros fan.
The 9-year-old baseball player’s bedroom is decked out in Astros swag, including bobbleheads, balls, and even bed sheets.
“I always try to watch every single one of their games,” Axel said. “I want to be like them, and I want to watch them, and I want to see how they get all the outs and how they hit the ball.”
On Tuesday, his parents Daniel and Brenda Garza decided to look for last-minute tickets to the Astros ALCS home debut against the Yankees on Wednesday.
“I was just trying to surprise him,” Axel’s father Daniel said. “He loves baseball, he’s been playing since he was 3, and lately he’s been getting into the game.”
They found two seats for $400 on OfferUp Wednesday after researching options on various resale platforms.
“It was pretty reasonable compared to what they were going for,” Axel’s mother Brenda said, after looking at other ticket options in the same section.
The seller asked for payment via CashApp or Zelle. Brenda’s bank transaction log shows a $400 payment to the person who had the OfferUp listing.
“This person was responding very frequently until he got the money,” Brenda said.
But then, not another word, and no ticket delivery.
“I was sad. It was a lot of money too,” Axel said after his parents shared the news.
It’s a lot of money and a lot of memories the family is all now without.
“Watching his reaction of him watching the game ... we couldn’t imagine what it would be to have him experience it in person,” Brenda said.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston and HPD warned of possible counterfeit merchandise or tickets during this year’s ALCS games.
“Counterfeiters routinely prey on the public during postseason professional sporting events like the ALCS to illegally sell counterfeit apparel, merchandise, and tickets because of the extraordinary demand in the local community,” Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson, HSI Houston, said in a statement. “To protect baseball fans from unknowingly spending their hard-earned money on substandard merchandise or fraudulent tickets, HSI and HPD have joined together to aggressively target anyone who attempts to take advantage of the public by selling counterfeit items.”
Law enforcement agencies recommend fans:
- Shop only at authorized retail locations, rather than street vendors, flea markets or other questionable sources.
- Purchase tickets from a reputable dealer such as the website for the Houston Astros or Major League Baseball. If you purchase tickets on the secondary market stick with reputable companies and double-check the website’s guarantee.
- Avoid purchasing items where the price seems too good to be true.
- Check for poor stitching, ripped tags, irregular markings, or misspellings on apparel