Ticket scam turns into valuable life lesson

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Instead of complaining or being upset after they were scammed out of hundred of dollars. One Wilmington family turned a negative situation into a positive one.

The family decided to make this a valuable teaching moment for their children.

They took a photo right before what would have been these boys first ever NBA game. A Christmas gift this family was excited to do together.

Until they realized the tickets they purchased were fake.

“We were sold 6 fake tickets so there is somebody who is walking around Charlotte with 360 of our dollars and we have some pieces of paper to show for it,” Matt Ham said.

Once they realized the tickets were fake is when their excitement turned into sadness and disappointment.

“We were in the Spectrum Center when we found out so they’re hearing the game being announced, hearing the national anthem being played the kids just lost it. They were so upset, so sad and I think that they realized what this person had done.” Ham said.

Leading the father to post a video on Facebook sharing what happened to them, while also using this as valuable teaching moment for his kids.

“I think that the lesson we learned is forgiveness cause at the end of the day it’s just money,” Ham said.

Something the children took to heart.

“I prayed for him that he used the money all that money and we lost and that he did something good with it like food or something,” Ham’s son said.

Meanwhile Ham’s Facebook post caught the attention of the Hornets General Manager inviting the entire Ham family back to Charlotte to a home game as the teams guest.

“It was just one of those things where I kind of as a dad here like yes! I wanted to show my kids that forgiveness always wins, right, Ham said. “Like this always works out you can never go wrong by doing the right thing.”

In the end the Ham family is excited to go back to Charlotte for take two at their kid’s first NBA game. The family has not decided which home game they will be going to but they are excited, especially their three boys.