Summary
- Authorities are alerting the public about scammers utilizing fraudulent FIFA websites and advertisements to misappropriate funds and personal data.
- Cryptocurrency transactions pose a significant risk since they cannot be reversed.
- Victims are advised to reach out to law enforcement, notify their banks, and file complaints with the FBI's IC3.
Law enforcement agencies are urging soccer enthusiasts to exercise caution before transferring cryptocurrency for online World Cup tickets.
In a post on X this Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department indicated that scammers are exploiting fake ticket sales, hospitality packages, merchandise promotions, streaming services, and betting offers to deceive fans and steal their personal information, with cryptocurrency payments being a major indicator of fraud.
“Be wary of sellers asking for payment via cryptocurrency, wire transfers, peer-to-peer payment applications, gift cards, or other irreversible methods,” the Sheriff's Department cautioned. “Do not trust images, PDFs, or 'paper tickets' from private sellers.”
This warning comes as various cities in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada gear up to welcome millions of fans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It also follows a report that crypto-related thefts reached $3.4 billion in 2025, as noted by Chainalysis.
According to the department, cybercriminals are designing fraudulent FIFA websites and social media advertisements that closely resemble authentic ticketing platforms. Cybersecurity specialists have warned that artificial intelligence is enabling scammers to swiftly replicate trusted brands and create phishing websites aimed at stealing login information, personal data, credit card details, and funds from unsuspecting victims.
“Before purchasing World Cup tickets or any related products, residents should access the official FIFA website by typing the URL directly into their browser,” advised the LASD. “Avoid relying on sponsored advertisements, social media posts, text messages, or links from Telegram or WhatsApp, especially if the offers seem too good to be true or urgent.”
The Sheriff's Department has recommended that victims contact law enforcement, inform their banks, keep transaction records, and report the occurrence to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
This alert follows a recent notification from the FBI Cyber Division about World Cup phishing schemes that employ "typo squatting"—which involves creating lookalike websites with minor misspellings or alternative domain names to extract personal and financial information from fans.
FIFA FANS
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center has identified MULTIPLE fraudulent FIFA websites. Considering buying tickets, merchandise, or experiences? Read below first.
The official FIFA site: https://t.co/HxYguwb1PS
Share this with your soccer friends.
FBI Press Release: https://t.co/cqQlPRLGKU https://t.co/b9ktqajbYw
— Kent Police (@kentpd) June 1, 2026
FIFA Scam Tokens
In May, cybersecurity company Malwarebytes alerted the public about scammers leveraging FIFA's branding and the World Cup to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency projects.
“One website advertised its token as ‘the official community token celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026,’ promoting a ‘Mega Airdrop,’ a total supply of 7 billion tokens, and a participant counter linked to the symbolic number 48 (representing the number of qualified national teams),” the company noted. “Another site displayed FIFA’s official mascot while using tournament branding to sell an unlicensed token.”
Malwarebytes also identified websites purporting to sell official World Cup tokens and offering cryptocurrency giveaways.
“None of the sites we analyzed are affiliated with FIFA,” Malwarebytes stated, adding that FIFA has a legitimate digital collectibles platform called FIFA Collect. “The sites we reviewed are not part of that ecosystem. The actual partners for 2026 are well-documented and easily verifiable. ‘World Cup token’ is not among them.”
Malwarebytes cautioned that individuals purchasing the tokens risk losing their money, acquiring worthless assets, or unintentionally granting scammers access to their crypto wallets.
Participants on Myriad—a prediction market run by Decrypt's parent company, Dastan—currently believe that Spain has the highest chance of winning the World Cup at 18%, closely followed by France at 17%.