Beware, Kaspersky Reveals Ticket Fraud to 2026 World Cup Merchandise

Illustration of digital fraud. (doc. Kaspersky)

JAKARTA - Millions of football fans around the world are preparing for the World Cup, but cyber criminals are taking advantage of the euphoria to launch many digital scams.

Experts at Kaspersky have uncovered various types of scams that mimic the official resources of the tournament and use the event for malicious purposes.

On one of the scam websites found, users were offered the option to buy tickets for the FIFA World Cup matches, with payments available for almost all currencies.

However, after completing the fake registration and payment steps, users are not only at risk of losing money from their banking cards but also exposing personal data to attackers.

In another case, the attacker created another website that offered users the opportunity to buy "official merchandise" for the 2026 tournament, such as mascot dolls and shirts.

To make the offer more attractive, the site highlights big discounts. In addition, to appear more credible, the fraudsters have added a "Trusted Store" badge at the bottom of the page, along with a registration form that asks for personal and banking details.

Another attack scenario involves a fake email campaign, where an attacker tries to trick users into sending money or clicking on a phishing link embedded in the email.

To avoid becoming a victim of fraud or phishing, Kaspersky advises users to:

Check the authenticity of the website before entering personal data Always choose official streaming platforms Use reliable security solutions that identify malicious attachments and block phishing links Enable multi-factor authentication and monitor accounts Don't immediately trust any links or attachments received via email Double-check online store websites before filling in any information

"We recommend that users ignore suspicious emails and websites to protect their finances and keep their devices and personal data safe," said Kaspersky's senior spam analyst, Anna Lazaricheva.