In brief
- Scammers are using fake FIFA websites and ads to steal money and personal information, law enforcement agencies have warned.
- Cryptocurrency payments are a major red flag because transactions are impossible to reverse.
- Victims should contact law enforcement, their bank, and the FBI’s IC3 complaint center.
Soccer fans should think twice before sending cryptocurrency to anyone offering World Cup tickets online, law enforcement agencies warn.
In a post on X on Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department warned that scammers are using fake World Cup ticket sales, hospitality packages, merchandise offers, streaming services, and betting promotions to steal money and personal information, with cryptocurrency payments among the clearest signs of fraud.
“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 Sheriff’s Department wrote. “Do not trust screenshots, PDFs, or ‘paper tickets’ offered by private sellers.”
The warning comes as cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada prepare to host millions of fans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The alert also comes as crypto theft in 2025 reached $3.4 billion, according to Chainalysis.
According to the department, cybercriminals are creating fake FIFA websites and social media ads that closely mimic legitimate ticketing pages. Cybersecurity experts warn that artificial intelligence is helping scammers quickly clone trusted brands and launch phishing sites designed to steal login credentials, personal information, credit card numbers, and funds from unsuspecting victims.
“Before buying World Cup tickets or related products, residents should go directly to the official FIFA website by typing the address into their browser,” the LASD wrote. “Do not rely on sponsored ads, social media posts, text messages, Telegram or WhatsApp links, or offers that appear unusually cheap or urgent.”
The Sheriff’s Department advised victims to contact law enforcement, notify their bank, preserve transaction records, and report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The warning follows a recent FBI Cyber Division alert about World Cup phishing scams that use “typo squatting”—lookalike websites with slight misspellings or alternate domain names designed to steal personal and financial information from fans.
FIFA FANS
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center has discovered MULTIPLE fake FIFA websites. Buying tickets, merch or experiences? Read below 1st.
The legit FIFA site: https://t.co/HxYguwb1PS
Share with your soccer friends.
FBI Press Release: https://t.co/cqQlPRLGKU https://t.co/b9ktqajbYw
— Kent Police (@kentpd) June 1, 2026
FIFA scam coins
In May, cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes warned that scammers were using the World Cup and FIFA’s branding to promote fake cryptocurrency projects.
“One site marketed its token as ‘the official community token celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026,’ advertising a ‘Mega Airdrop,’ a 7-billion-token total supply, and a participant counter pinned to the symbolic number 48 (the count of qualified national teams),” the company wrote. “Another shows FIFA’s official mascot, using tournament branding to sell an unlicensed token.”
Malwarebytes also found websites claiming to sell official World Cup tokens and offering crypto giveaways.
“None of the sites we examined are connected to FIFA,” Malwarebytes wrote, noting that FIFA does have a real digital collectibles ecosystem called FIFA Collect. “None of the sites we examined sit inside that ecosystem. The real partners for 2026 are documented and easy to verify. ‘World Cup token’ is not one of them.”
Malwarebytes warned that anyone who buys the tokens could lose their money, end up with worthless assets, or “accidentally give scammers access to their crypto wallets.”
Users on Myriad—a prediction market operated by Decrypt‘s parent company, Dastan—currently believe that Spain has the best shot of winning the World Cup with an 18% chance among the full field, followed closely by France at 17%.