A sharp rise in ticketing scams has been recorded by a fraud prevention service as the World Cup gets under way.
Fraud prevention service Cifas said scams they are seeing include fake ticket lotteries offering cash prizes, or “hospitality packages” distributed through phishing texts and emails.
They urged football fans to be cautious if they receive unsolicited emails claiming they have won tickets, and to never click on links included in these emails.
Doing so runs the risk of downloading malware designed to steal personal and financial information.
🔎Check before you buy.
— Action Fraud (@actionfrauduk) November 21, 2022
We recommend researching online retailers, particularly if you haven’t bought from them before, to check they’re the real deal: https://t.co/U5sDEy1izy#FraudFreeXmas pic.twitter.com/rePH5LS1yA
And with Black Friday approaching on November 25, people are also being warned to watch out for spoof websites designed to trick consumers into handing over personal and financial details.
Red flags include slightly mis-spelled brand names, or basic-looking fonts and colour schemes. Phishing campaigns for sale deals are also circulating, designed to encourage consumers into clicking unsafe links, Cifas said.
Suspect emails can be reported to report@phishing.gov.uk and to Action Fraud.
Amber Burridge, head of intelligence for Cifas, said: “Hopeful ticket purchasers for the World Cup and 2023 concerts are being targeted, as well as social media users looking for help with rising prices.
“Black Friday is also being used by fraudsters as an opportunity to scam people out of their hard-earned cash, and mobile phone customers are subject to increasingly sophisticated scams.”
