Soccer might not be quite as popular as American football in the U.S. yet, but it’s getting there. And scammers are seizing the opportunity through betting scams, social media and messaging apps, new research shows as the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches. 

With 28% of Americans set to follow matches across North America co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico and the FIFA Resale/Exchange Marketplace reopening on April 2, a survey from NordVPN shows that 11% of American internet users ran into a soccer-related scam in 2024 and 2025. 

“Soccer scams work because they are built around emotion and urgency,” Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at the company, said on the release of the data. “When people are excited about a match, looking for tickets, chasing betting tips, or trying to find a stream at the last minute, they are much more likely to act first and verify later. That is exactly what scammers count on.” 

Some of the most popular scams include betting scams, which were experienced by 46% of those who had encountered scams, and fake match ticket sales, cited by 44%. But scammers didn’t stop there, they also hit activities centered around the sport—37% cited fake car rental offers and nearly as many (34%) experienced fraudulent fan club memberships and exclusive access offers. 

The scams come across familiar platforms where fans interact and follow teams like Facebook (46%), TikTok (42%), Instagram (37%) and Telegram (32%). And they are successful because they tend to catch people when they are stressed (55%) or frustrated (53%). But for nearly three in ten (29%), the scams successfully convinced them to part with their money because they were excited. The timing of many scams also increases success rates—in the evening, during time off and when victims let their guard down. 

“Soccer-related scams on social media platforms are rapidly increasing, driven by the combination of a massive global fan base, time-sensitive live events, and the scale of social media platforms,” says Louis Eichenbaum, federal CTO at ColorTokens.  

Attackers, Eichenbaum says, “exploit urgency and trust to push users into quick decisions, using tactics such as fake livestream links, fraudulent ticket sales, and impersonation of legitimate teams or groups.” 

The money lost in the scams doesn’t seem impressive—between $101-$150 per incident—but at scale, that adds up to a significant payday for scammers. And they keep going back to prime targets—62% of victims were hit two or three times and nearly three out of 10 (28%) have been targeted at least four times. 

The survey suggests that soccer scams often succeed not because fans are unfamiliar with online risks, but because they catch people at the wrong moment. Among those who lost money to a scam, the most common emotional states were stress (55%), frustration (53%), and excitement (29%). Victims were also most likely to be targeted during weekday evenings, typically during their time off, when their guard is down, and they are more likely to react impulsively. 

For some, that moment of distraction leads to real financial loss. Overall, 4% of Americans said they lost money to soccer-related scams. Among victims, losses most commonly ranged from $101 to $150. Most victims (62%) said they were targeted two or three times, while 28% were targeted four or more times, suggesting scammers often circle back to the same people once they’ve had a successful first hit. 

The scams “frequently leverage compromised or newly created accounts, enabling attackers to appear credible while spreading malicious links or payment requests,” notes Eichenbaum. And the underlying pattern “mirrors enterprise cyber threats: Initial access through phishing or deception, followed by lateral spread through trusted networks, and rapid monetization,” he says, with risk “heightened by the use of irreversible payment methods and credential harvesting via fake login pages.” 

Darren Guccione, CEO and cofounder at Keeper Security, cautions fans to beware of “unsolicited messages or offers, double-check the authenticity of any websites or apps you may be using to watch, follow or bet on the games, and never provide personal information or payment without verifying the legitimacy of the transaction.” 

He says that the scams and phishing attempts will come fast and furiously during the tournament, so fans should make it a habit not to click on links or open attachments from unknown sources. “Scammers may also use social media to learn more about you or request money,” says Guccione. “They may impersonate a friend or family member claiming to be in urgent need of money to buy tickets or place bets on World Cup games, or even impersonate the athletes themselves.” 

To mitigate the risk, Eichenbaum says, “requires a combination of user awareness and basic security hygiene, including using only official streaming and ticketing platforms, avoiding peer-to-peer payment requests from unverified sources, enabling phishing-resistant MFA, verifying account and page legitimacy before engaging, and cryptographic password-less authentication.”