Mary Murphy had been left devastated after purchasing One Direction tickets advertised on website DoneDeal.ie and travelling to Mullingar to collect them.
Having handed over €350 for the highly coveted tickets, Mary told the Irish Daily Star that she immediately felt uneasy.
“I don’t know why but something just hit me. I decided to ring the guy from a different number,” she said.
“I called him and asked if the One Direction tickets that were advertised were still available and my heart sank when he said ‘yes’,” she added.
Mary then created her own ruse, arranging to meet the ticket seller under a different identity, then contacting the gardaí with the information.
A garda dressed in plain clothes proceeded to meet with two ticket sellers and was sold four counterfeit tickets. The two men were arrested on the spot and brought to Athlone Garda Station, where they were later released without charge.
What a cruel ploy to pull, especially at this time of year. Well done to Mary for her quick-thinking.
