Law enforcement warns that scammers are using fake FIFA World Cup ticket sales, merchandise offers, and cryptocurrency “fan tokens” to steal funds and personal information. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department stated that requests for cryptocurrency payments are a major red flag due to their irreversible nature. Victims are advised to contact their bank and report incidents to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Scammers are using fake FIFA websites and ads to steal money and personal information, law enforcement agencies have warned. Cryptocurrency payments are a significant red flag because these transactions are impossible to reverse.
In a post on X, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department warned that fraudulent offers include World Cup ticket sales, hospitality packages, and betting promotions. The department advised, “Be cautious of sellers requesting payment through cryptocurrency, wire transfer, peer-to-peer payment apps, gift cards, or other methods that are difficult to reverse.”
The alert comes as crypto theft in 2025 reached $3.4 billion according to Chainalysis. Cybersecurity experts warn that artificial intelligence is helping scammers quickly clone trusted brands to launch phishing sites.
The FBI Cyber Division also issued an alert about World Cup phishing scams using “typo squatting” with lookalike websites. Fans are urged to go directly to the official FIFA website and not to trust links from social media or messaging apps.
In May, cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes warned that scammers were using World Cup branding to promote fake cryptocurrency projects. One site marketed a token as “the official community token celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026.”
Malwarebytes confirmed that none of the sites it examined are connected to FIFA’s legitimate FIFA Collect ecosystem. The firm warned that buyers could lose their money, receive worthless assets, or accidentally give scammers access to their crypto wallets.
