Posted
on Wednesday, May 27, 2026
in
Identity Theft Prevention
If you’re a fan of soccer/football, you’re probably excited for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup! You might want to buy tickets or merchandise, so you search online for the official FIFA website. Eventually, you find a website that seems to be what you’re looking for. It contains what appear to be official FIFA images and logos, and even has an online store. The odd thing is that the store only accepts payment using payment apps or cryptocurrency.
But cybercriminals can use major events like the World Cup to trick you, and the webpage you found is actually fake! If you try to buy anything from this “store,” you’ll be instructed to log in to your FIFA account first. Cybercriminals will steal your login information, and then you’ll be directed to a payment page. Any payments you make will be sent directly to the cybercriminals, and you’ll never receive what you purchased. Even worse, they can use your stolen login information to access your real FIFA account and resell any legitimate World Cup tickets you've already bought!
Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this scam:
Don't assume that a website is official just because it looks legitimate. Cybercriminals can create convincing fake webpages that look very similar to the real thing.
- Be suspicious of any “official” website that only accepts payments from cryptocurrency or payment apps. Most official online shops will offer standard purchasing options.
- Trust your instincts. If you see anything that looks unusual about a webpage, such as a suspicious URL or unusual payment options, close out of the page immediately.
Article provided by:
KnowBe4.com