When Simone Zeno can't attend a j-hope concert because of a family emergency, StubHub agrees to refund her purchase. Then it backtracks and refuses to return the money. Can it do that?

Q: I recently bought tickets through StubHub for a j-hope concert, but a family emergency prevented me from attending. I immediately contacted StubHub and was assured by phone and email that I’d receive my $2,561 back.

But StubHub then claimed my documentation was invalid and cited its “all sales final” policy. Agents gave contradictory instructions -- some promised refunds, while others blamed my bank. 

I’m stuck. One representative even accused me of lying about my payment method, despite providing bank letters. StubHub now says I’m ineligible for a refund and must resell the tickets. But the event passed months ago! How can a company promise a refund, demand documentation, and then ghost a customer? -- Simone Zeno, Cary, N.C.

A: StubHub agreed to refund you for the ticket, which is highly unusual. The representative you spoke to was correct: All sales on StubHub are final.

But if a company agrees to refund a purchase, it should be as good as its word. StubHub's FanProtect Guarantee commits to resolving issues when tickets aren’t delivered or don’t match listings, but it is silent on emergencies. However, once a representative promises a refund, the company has an obligation to follow through, even if not legally required. And you had the commitment in writing.

So what went wrong? StubHub first agreed to give you a refund. Then it stalled, so you contacted your bank and initiated a dispute. As we've seen in past cases, a credit card dispute can have the opposite effect when you're trying to expedite a refund. It might actually slow down the process significantly while everyone tries to sort things out. 

StubHub asked you to drop the dispute and promised to refund you, but when you ended the chargeback, it still kept your money. This is highly problematic. In reviewing the paper trail between you and the company, it looks like the representative didn't take the time to review the previous correspondence. If it had done that, then StubHub's representatives would have known what to do. They would have refunded your tickets, as promised.

If you ever run into a problem with StubHub, you can always escalate your complaint to one of the StubHub customer service executives I list on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. Often, a senior manager can review the case and offer a quick fix.

I contacted StubHub on your behalf. A spokesperson acknowledged a miscommunication and confirmed refunds were issued for both orders. One was processed directly by StubHub; the other through your bank.

Companies can’t dodge accountability by blaming policies after making exceptions. Remember to escalate early to executives. And if a rep says “trust me,” ask for it in writing -- or risk being stuck in refund purgatory.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/