CHICAGO (WLS) — Fans looking to buy World Cup tickets or merchandise are being warned to watch out for scams as criminals take advantage of the tournament’s popularity.
The ABC7 I-Team is investigating reports of scammers targeting consumers searching for tickets, jerseys and other World Cup-related items online. One security group has seen a recent 320% increase in malicious websites tied to the event.
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It could be merchandise like hats or jerseys or a ticket to go see a match. Scam artists capitalizing on the World Cup craze. One security group seeing a recent 320 percent increase in malicious sites.
Nati Tal, head of research at Guardio, said increased interest in the tournament creates opportunities for fraudsters.
“This is the time you see the games, and you want to buy the soccer shirts,” Tal said.
Tal said Guardio’s cybersecurity team recently found several online shops based in China selling World Cup shirts and jerseys. Security experts warn that consumers may never receive the products they order or could receive fake items weeks later.
“Everybody is looking for those events and searching for information and scammers like they always do they have a chance to find more victims using names and brands,” Tal said.
The FBI has also issued a warning. In May, the agency said it identified more than three dozen domains spoofing the legitimate FIFA website and expects more fraudulent domains to appear.
The FBI and Guardio recommend purchasing official, FIFA-licensed merchandise and obtaining World Cup tickets through FIFA’s official website. Consumers who buy tickets through third-party sellers should use a verified, trusted source and avoid online classifieds unless they thoroughly vet the seller and meet in person. They also recommend requesting a photo of the seller’s driver’s license.
When asked how consumers can verify they are purchasing legitimate tickets and merchandise, Tal stressed the importance of checking a website’s address.
“Always look for the official website. look for FIFA make sure on the address bar you see the official domain name,” Tal said.
Tal also advised consumers to avoid sponsored search results that could lead to fraudulent websites and to be cautious when clicking links on social media.
“make sure you don’t click fast on something that looks great …looks official,” Tal said.
Consumers shopping online should also look for a trusted payment gateway, which is a standard method many merchants use to process payments. Guardio says shoppers should avoid entering payment information directly into a vendor’s website.
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