With the 2026 World Cup underway, Kaspersky researchers have identified an increase in digital scams related to betting, pools, tickets, and tournament-related products used to lure victims.
According to the company, several fraudulent sites were created in June alone with the aim of collecting fans’ personal data and payments.
For Fabio Assolini, lead security researcher at Kaspersky in Latin America, the profile of the scams hasn’t changed significantly compared to previous editions of the tournament, but a new type has started to draw attention.
“What we noticed in this 2026 edition, and which didn’t happen in the previous one, were fake betting pool sites, since betting platforms are quite popular today,” he says.
Digital betting scams have evolved
Digital scams related to betting have evolved. And this evolution of the betting market helps explain this shift. In 2018, online betting still had a limited presence in Brazil and was mainly operated by foreign companies.
In 2022, Kaspersky recorded more than 11,000 fraudulent emails related to the World Cup, with promises of raffles, prizes, and fake invitations for companies.
Since the federal betting regulation came into effect in January 2025, only licensed operators can legally operate in the country. At the same time, Brazilians’ interest in betting has grown in recent years. According to recent surveys, 56% of Brazilians do not rule out betting during the World Cup, while the market has grown 734% since 2021.
According to María Isabel Manjarrez, Kaspersky security researcher for Latin America, major sporting events create an environment that is especially favorable for fraudsters.
“Major sporting events bring together three elements that scammers exploit very well: excitement, urgency, and high demand. The problem isn’t just losing money — by entering data on fake sites, the victim is exposed to identity theft and new, much more personalized fraud attempts,” she warns.
What Kaspersky found
The survey, published in May and updated with June data, identified different types of fraud that use the World Cup as bait to attract users.
Among the main cases are fake betting and pool sites, which promise high prizes to encourage sign-ups and financial transfers.
According to Assolini, many users end up making payments via Pix and sharing personal information without verifying the authenticity of the platforms.
The company also identified growth in sites that mimic official sticker sales pages. The number of these fraudulent pages rose from 164 to 180 during the period analyzed, replicating layouts, purchase processes, and offers with prices below those on the market.
In addition, fake sites selling tickets and official competition products were found, as well as email campaigns promising prizes of up to US$500,000 to lure victims.
The numbers behind it
Data from Procon-SP show that World Cup-related complaints have grown significantly in recent months. Complaints involving stickers and albums went from zero in March to 34 in April and 109 in May, totaling 238 occurrences between March and May 2026.
Among Brazilians who fell victim to betting-related scams, 58% were victimized more than once. The amounts lost typically range between R$251 and R$500 per occurrence, but the impact goes beyond financial loss: the personal data collected is often used to fuel new fraud attempts.
The role of Pix
According to Kaspersky, Pix has also been widely used by fraudsters due to the speed of transfers and the difficulty of recovering funds once the transactions are completed.
The researcher also warns of the risks associated with using unregulated platforms.
“By signing up on unknown, unregulated betting sites, the risks include having personal data stolen and, worse, having Pix or card numbers stolen. The victim will pay and not compete for anything, besides suffering the financial loss,” says Assolini.
How to protect yourself
Kaspersky recommends that users place bets only on platforms licensed by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance, and carefully check website addresses before making any payment.
The company also advises fans to be wary of offers promising easy winnings, avoid installing extensions to unlock unofficial broadcasts, use secure connections to access online platforms, and ignore messages about prizes they never signed up for.