As the World Cup continues, soccer fans are being warned about scams targeting those desperate to attend big-name matches. With FIFA charging record ticket prices, some games are sold out, but plenty more have seats remaining. However, experts and authorities warn that criminals will be deploying a range of tactics to capitalize on surging demand and pressure people into paying for non-existent tickets.

Avoiding Scams

To avoid getting scammed, fans should be wary of social media posts offering last-minute tickets at good prices. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission warned fans that fraudsters use social media posts to funnel people to scam websites, where they advertise fake tickets or sell the same seat to many people. Experts say criminals are using artificial intelligence to create realistic messages, polished online storefronts, and convincing fake endorsements and promotions.

The FBI warned that scammers are creating spoof FIFA websites to trick people into providing personal details or selling fake tickets or hospitality packages. The bureau listed three dozen spoof FIFA websites it’s aware of, with URLs that appear to be authentic at first glance. To obtain World Cup tickets, fans should first go to the official FIFA website for direct or secondhand sales. Resale tickets are also available on established third-party sites like StubHub and SeatGeek, though FIFA warns that buying outside official channels risks fake or invalid tickets, or inflated prices.

Safe Ticket Purchasing

Experts advise fans to assume any World Cup deal that reached them through a social media ad or search result is suspect until proven otherwise. Fans should type fifa.com directly into their browser’s address bar instead of using a search engine, and avoid clicking on sponsored search results, which could be paid imitators trying to divert online traffic.

Original reporting: NBC Connecticut (Hartford) — read the source article.