As excitement builds for the 2026 World Cup, experts are warning of a surge in online fraud. Following earlier reports of scammers targeting fans, Alejandro Botter of Check Point Software Technologies highlighted an increase in fake websites using FIFA imagery.
With the tournament still months away, cybercriminals are already exploiting fans through fraudulent sites offering tickets, tourist packages, and merchandise at misleading prices. Botter noted an exponential rise over the past six months in such scams and explained that attackers use social engineering to exploit both anxiety and excitement around the event.
He stressed that the only official FIFA site is fifa.com and advised fans to verify website addresses carefully while distrusting overly attractive offers, such as 80% discounts on official products. Even visiting a fake site can expose personal data, he warned.
