BOSTON — From match tickets to trains, parking passes, and more, the buildup to the 2026 World Cup is creating new opportunities for scammers to steal from fans, according to a cybersecurity researcher who studies fraud on the dark web and social media.
25 Investigates spoke with Assaf Morag, a security researcher with the internet security company Flare, who said professional scammers are flooding online platforms as interest in the World Cup surges.
“They know what they’re doing, and they will sell you everything. Basically, they sell you dreams,” Morag told Boston 25’s Kerry Kavanaugh.
Morag studies activity on the dark web, but said people trying to rip you off are everywhere online, particularly as major events approach.
“This is where you need to be careful,” he said.
Morag said he went on Facebook and spoke with dozens of alleged ticket brokers willing to sell him anything — even tickets to matches that do not exist.
“Even when I said I wanted a match ticket between Italy and Russia,” Morag said.
Italy did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and Russia is currently suspended from soccer events since the invasion of Ukraine. Still, Morag said scammers offered him tickets to an Italy vs. Russia match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“I even invented the country in the Southeast Europe. And they said, okay, yeah, we have the tickets,” he said.
That fake country, Morag said, was called “Velmoraon.” Morag shared the social media chat with the scammer.
Morag said the same tactics apply beyond match tickets — including parking passes, bus transportation, and train tickets connected to games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
“You can go, and you can say, ‘ Oh, I need a parking ticket. And they will say, of course, the parking ticket costs $150, but you can pay $100. And again, you get a piece of paper, you got something which doesn’t work,” Morag said.
He cautioned that while legitimate secondary marketplaces and private sellers exist, buyers take on risk.
“It’s a risk because you cannot be sure until the last minute that you bought something which is legit,” he said.
That uncertainty could cost fans thousands of dollars as ticket prices climb.
This comes at the FBI has issued a warning about spoofing attacks against the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) website in advance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
They shared dozens of fake websites made to look like the real thing.
The FBI says When navigating to FIFA’s official website, type fifa.com directly into the address bar located at the top of your Internet browser, rather than using a search engine.
And if using a search engine, avoid any “sponsored” results as these can be ‘paid imitators.’
Morag echoed that saying the only guarantee is buying through official FIFA ticketing and parking websites, including the Boston 2026 site.
If using a third-party platform, he recommends checking online reviews to see other buyers’ experiences before making a purchase.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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