World Cup-related scams: What to know about fake websites, ticket offers and payment requests
Key takeaways
- The first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. — when the United States takes on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood — is coming Friday.
- Cyberscammers are zeroing in on the heightened emotions people are feeling surrounding the World Cup, said Sgt.
- “They know we’re excited [because] what’s bigger in Los Angeles than soccer?” Hish said.
President Trump holds a World Cup ticket replica during an August 2025 meeting in the Oval Office with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, along with FIFA World Cup Task Force head Andrew Giuliani, far left, Richard Grenell, then-president of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, and Vice President JD Vance. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) By Karen Garcia Staff Writer Follow June 11, 2026 3 AM PT 5 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X LinkedIn Threads Reddit WhatsApp Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
The first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. — when the United States takes on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood — is coming Friday. Soccer fans are psyched, and scammers aim to profit from that, L.A. sheriff’s officials say.
Cyberscammers are zeroing in on the heightened emotions people are feeling surrounding the World Cup, said Sgt. Peter Hish of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Fraud and Cyber Crimes Bureau.