South Jersey woman spent nearly $1K on Bruno Mars tickets. Then Ticketmaster canceled them.

A South Jersey woman who spent nearly $1,000 on Bruno Mars tickets says she finally got her money back after contacting CBS News Philadelphia's In Your Corner for help.

Cynthia Leek said she purchased two tickets through online resale marketplace GoTickets months before the singer's Sept. 1 concert at Lincoln Financial Field. She believed the purchase was secure after receiving emails indicating her tickets were confirmed and guaranteed.

Instead, she later learned the tickets had been canceled.

"I am a number one fan," Leek told CBS News Philadelphia. "He has been on my bucket list for years."

A nearly $1,000 purchase

Leek said she purchased the tickets through GoTickets after hearing tickets were available there before they went on sale through Ticketmaster.

She paid $944 for two tickets. She said GoTickets later emailed her stating the tickets were "100% guaranteed" and would be transferred to her Ticketmaster account before the show.

Then came an unexpected email from Ticketmaster.

"It's like, 'Oh no, what happened?'" Leek said.

Ticketmaster says seller violated its rules

Ticketmaster told CBS News Philadelphia the tickets were canceled after a security review.

In a statement, the company said it partnered with the tour to review ticket purchases and flagged suspicious activity tied to original purchases. Ticketmaster said fans who bought resale tickets "did nothing wrong," but received tickets from a seller who violated the company's terms and conditions.

Ticketmaster said customers who purchased through third-party marketplaces must seek refunds through the company where they purchased the tickets.

Months of frustration

Leek said she repeatedly contacted both Ticketmaster and GoTickets but struggled to get answers.

"You could never get a live person at GoTickets to talk to," she said.

Leek said months passed without a resolution, refund or replacement tickets. Worried she could miss the concert altogether, she purchased another set of tickets directly through Ticketmaster.

Eventually, she turned to In Your Corner for help.

"I had no idea what to do, so I reached out to In Your Corner," Leek said.

Refund arrives after inquiry

CBS News Philadelphia contacted GoTickets with several questions, including why the tickets were allowed to be sold, why Leek was unable to get help from customer service, and whether any action had been taken against the seller involved.

The company did not respond to those questions.

However, within days of the inquiry, Leek received an email stating she would receive a full refund.

"I was so surprised," she said. "And I got my refund."

The $944 refund has since been deposited back into her bank account.

A lesson for ticket buyers

Leek ultimately attended the concert using the replacement tickets she purchased directly through Ticketmaster. She said those seats were actually better and cost slightly less than the original tickets she bought through the resale site.

Her advice for other consumers is simple.

"Make sure you're dealing with a reputable company," Leek said.

Consumer advocates recommend purchasing tickets directly through an event's official ticketing partner whenever possible and carefully reviewing refund policies before buying from third-party resale marketplaces.

Looking for help with a consumer issue? Click here to submit your complaint to In Your Corner.