March 17th 2014
Football fans are being warned to be on the lookout for scams connected with the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, which kicks off on June 12th … less than three months away.
Our colleagues at Action Fraud and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) have identified three main types of fraud relating to the forthcoming competition:
Investment fraud: Victims have been contacted by individuals offering land investment opportunities in Brazil, supposedly as part of the redevelopment for the World Cup. The investment is thought to be non-existent or worthless.
Rental fraud: Unsuspecting individuals and companies looking for accommodation for the World Cup have responded to false online advertisements and made payment for apartments thought to be either non-existent, or unavailable for rent.
Lottery scams: Some people have received emails/letters claiming to be from the 'FIFA World Cup Lottery', claiming that they have won a prize and/or a ticket to a game. They are asked to supply personal details in order to process the 'payment'. If you receive this type of communication, do not respond, and remember that if you have not entered a lottery, you cannot have won it.
Advice from FIFA regarding ticket purchases
FIFA have issued the following advice to those thinking of purchasing tickets for World Cup games. The one and only source of official and guaranteed tickets for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil is via www.FIFA.com. No other websites or parties anywhere in the world have any rights to legitimately sell tickets for the competition, and those who are reselling tickets are in violation of the terms and conditions of the tickets and in contravention of the applicable Brazilian laws.
To report a fraud and receive a police crime reference number, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use their online fraud reporting tool.
