TRM Labs Warns Crypto Scammers Are Targeting 2026 FIFA World Cup Fans

TRM Labs said crypto scammers are targeting 2026 FIFA World Cup fans through fake ticketing websites, fixed-match betting schemes, and event-themed crypto promotions. According to Cointelegraph, the blockchain intelligence firm identified multiple World Cup-related scam operations, including two fake-ticketing sites and a fixed-match betting pitch linked to four crypto addresses. Ari Redbord, TRM Labs’ global head of policy, said criminals often exploit major cultural events and prepare in advance. He said scammers build and position their infrastructure weeks before kickoff and then scale activity when public attention peaks. Redbord added that the onchain nature of crypto payments can help investigators and compliance teams act earlier, potentially limiting losses before they grow. The 2026 World Cup opened on Thursday and is being held in Canada, Mexico, and the US. FIFA expects attendance of about 6.5 million fans throughout the tournament and about $40.9 billion in global gross domestic product impact, factors that may increase ticketing, travel, and betting demand that scammers can target. Authorities and organizers have also issued warnings about ticket fraud. In May, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said threat actors were spoofing FIFA websites ahead of the tournament to collect personal information, sell fake tickets and products, and potentially conduct other malicious activity. FIFA has warned that tickets purchased outside its official website may expose buyers to fraud, adding that tickets obtained through unofficial channels may be deemed invalid and canceled without notice. The broader ticketing environment has been described as complicated. 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. The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that official resale portals still had 176,000 unsold tickets across the group stages of the tournament.