TRM Labs has arrested four cryptocurrency addresses for fraud targeting fans of the 2026 World Cup, based on fake ticket sites and a fixed-match betting scheme while matches are being played in North America.
The blockchain intelligence firm says that the wallets associated with the service have received less than $1,700 together so far. However, it warns that the level of fraud and its scale may rise.
How the World Cup Wants to Fuel Crypto-Based Scams
Major sporting events result in increased sales of tickets, tours, and merchandise. Scammers build up time to prepare for their preparations, plant false decisions weeks in advance, then promote them closer to the start, TRM’s research shows.
FIFA-WTO training compare that the tournament could attract 6.5 million attendees and add $40.9 billion to the global GDP. That rate gives fraudsters a lot of potential victims.
Supervisors flagged the accident early. The FBI he warned in May approx wrong FIFA websites designed steal your information and sell fake tickets. The Better Business Bureau echoed this statement.
Angela Dennis, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Ontario, told reporters why the high demand attracts fraud.
“When there’s that kind of volume and that kind of volume, the more the fraudsters get excited because people are attracted to what they’re sending, whether it’s email, phishing email or text message, and to have people connect to fake sites and give them their information or payment,” Dennis said. he said.
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Inside the On-Chain World Cup Scams
TRM recognized severaltypes of fraud on the chain, led by counterfeit tickets and fixed-rate sports betting. Fraudulent ticket sites act as legitimate sellers, list wanted matches, and demand crypto.
One wallet Polygon (POL) drew about $ 1,562, almost all on April 1. The second service, tied to a Bitcoin (BTC) address, maintains its fraudulent website but did not accept any payment.
Fixed matches pay an advance fee for the expected results. TRM linked one to a Bitcoin wallet that took small amounts between January and May 2026, then deposited them into a savings account.
The third way it passes through symbols. TRM pointed to the $WORDCUP coin. It sells on LBank as a fan-made souvenir without the FIFA tie, showing off the low-cost meme coin.
Hackers also lean on bridges to destroy channels, with TRM accounting for nearly $1.9 billion in fraudulent transactions over time.
The third trick is passing tokens. A coin called $WORDCUP trades on the LBank exchange, which is called a souvenir made by fans without cooperation with FIFA. Owners experience low meme coin losses when donors withdraw.
“The amounts involved in these crimes are small, but the flow of money follows patterns seen in consumer fraud,” report read it.
Thieves lean on bridges to move money and make tracking difficult. In all cases tracked, approximately $1.9 billion in fraudulent funds have passed through the bridges.
TRM hopes to see more races as the race progresses, including gambling,deepfake previews FIFA statisticsit’s a fake streaming site.
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A note Crypto Scammers Hit World Cup Fans As Tournament Goes On appeared for the first time BeInCrypto.
