TRM Labs warned that crypto scammers are targeting FIFA World Cup fans through fake ticketing sites, fixed-match betting schemes and event-themed crypto promotions.
The blockchain intelligence company said it identified several World Cup-related scam operations, including two fake-ticketing sites and one fixed-match betting pitch tied to four crypto addresses.
“Criminals always look to exploit major events and cultural moments and they don’t wait until kickoff,” Ari Redbord, global head of policy at TRM Labs, told Cointelegraph. “Scammers build and position their infrastructure weeks in advance, then scale it the moment public attention peaks.”
Redbord told Cointelegraph that the onchain nature of crypto payments allows investigators and compliance teams to act before losses grow.
The 2026 World Cup opened on Thursday, with FIFA expecting attendance of about 6.5 million fans throughout the tournament and about $40.9 billion in global gross domestic product impact, creating a large pool of ticketing, travel and betting demand for scammers to target.
Impact propagation of the World Cup 2026. Source: FIFA
FIFA and FBI warn World Cup fans of fake ticket scams
The World Cup is being held in Canada, Mexico and the US and is expected to drive a surge in ticketing, travel and betting activity.
That concentration of demand has already drawn warnings from authorities. In May, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said threat actors were spoofing FIFA websites ahead of the tournament to collect personal information, sell fake tickets and products and potentially carry out other malicious activity.
FBI warns of fake domains spoofing the official FIFA website. Source: FBI
FIFA has also warned fans that tickets purchased outside the official website may expose buyers to fraud. FIFA said tickets obtained through unofficial channels may be deemed invalid and subject to cancellation without notice.
Related: International sting shuts down $390M crypto money-laundering ring
World Cup organizers face a more complicated ticketing environment. The Council on Foreign Relations reported that several opening matches in the US and Canada were not sold out on FIFA’s platform as of Monday, while the Financial Times reported on Tuesday that official resale portals still had 176,000 unsold tickets across the group stages of the tournament.
Magazine: Korea’s first memecoin rug-pull case, China’s crypto rules review: Asia Express