The world is eagerly waiting for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to start off in Brazil. Football fans gear up for the sport’s biggest occasion, so do cyber-criminals intent on exploiting the enthusiasm and excitement of the fans. Online security researchers have found out that few malicious websites which are designed to appear like the official FIFA World Cup sponsor sites have recently sprung up to lure users into buying discounted tickets and into giving up their personal details.
Hackers are deploying sophisticated tactics this world cup season to make the most out of this much-awaited event that includes popular scams such as free or discounted tickets. Internet is filled with websites selling fake tickets wherein victims unknowingly buy these heavy discounted tickets by paying lots of money and even sharing their personal details at their own risk.
Researchers have found out that a simple search for ‘FIFA World Cup tickets’ returns thousands of fraudulent listings with prices of up to £2,370 for the final on July 13, 2014 – which is four times FIFA’s official price of the most expensive category. However, exciting offers such as cheap flights and accommodation for the full event will be one of the tricks deployed by hackers.
Any website other than FIFA’s official website offering last-minute free World Cup tickets with heavy discounts is most likely a scam site. FIFA’s secretary-general Jerome Valcke said that FIFA is completed committed to supporting fans in their efforts to purchase tickets through its official website. Only FIFA is authorized to sell tickets for the World Cup games.
Another common tactic used by hackers is the email scam. Emails containing event news, highlights of the last season and details about World Cup teams and players are being used to trick users. Innocent recipients open up such emails with malicious attachments or click on malicious links and fall in the trap. Researchers have identified various World Cup scams, including malicious emails offering free tickets for the tournament – which actually end up containing a malicious zip file.
Other email scams inform recipients that they are chosen as a lottery prize winner and have won cash as well as free ticket to watch the FIFA world cup tournament. To receive the ticket and the winning amount, recipients are persuaded to submit their personal information so that they can get their prize.
In such situations, users should be extra careful before clicking on the link mentioned in the email. If required, eScan suggests typing it in another browser tab to see what it contains. Users should be extra cautious about everything that they provide through an email, right from their address to their mobile number, as these can be the building blocks for identity theft attacks. User should treat any World Cup-related website with suspicion – particularly ones that ask for personal information.
Remember that it is very easy for hackers to create a fake website that looks genuine. If you are not sure about the reputation of the website, leave it immediately.
eScan suggests that Football Fans wishing to buy tickets during this FIFA World cup season should be aware that:
- Official tickets can only be bought via www.FIFA.com and no other websites or agencies are allowed to sell tickets.
- If you are offered travel package with the free football world cup tickets, then note that there are no legitimate tickets being sold as a part of a travel package, no official tour operator has been authorized by FIFA.
- Tickets that you may have bought from an unauthorized source is certainly invalid, you may not receive it at all.
However, to make sure you are buying tickets from a legitimate website, eScan suggests you to consider the below tips:
- Use reliable Anti-Virus software that provides you a secured computing experience and directs you to a legitimate website every time.
- Do a deep research about the event organizer, promoter, venue as well as how and when the tickets are being distributed.
- Never get carried away by genuine-looking website that contains identical looking logos, pictures and banners.
- Check the reputation of the website before purchasing tickets.
- If Google is unsure about that website’s reputation, leave that site immediately.
- Read the terms and conditions of purchasing ticket from a known websites (some ticket websites mentions clearly that there are no refunds).
- While booking your ticket, be careful and avoid providing information related to your credit card, bank account numbers or passwords to any unknown site or a fake site.
A good Anti-Virus can save you from all the Internet threats, Identity theft, Phishing emails, and all kinds of Virus attack. Check and research about all the features before opting for any security software for your computer. Before installing any Anti-Virus software look for features such as Web Safe, Identity protection, Domain and IP Reputation Checker, Virus Control and Anti-spam that will ensure comprehensive security for your computer. One such Anti-Virus software that provides all these features is eScan Total Security Suite with Cloud Security.
You can experience the secured computing environment by trying the Free Trial of the software from the link below: https://update1.mwti.net/download/escan/escan14/twn2k3ek.exe
