Sportsworld warn clients about World Cup scams

The national press are reporting an increase in football fans being targeted by a number of scams in the run-up to the World Cup in South Africa this summer, with cons ranging from fake offers of tickets and accommodation to cyber criminals attempting to steal bank details.

So what should fans travelling to the tournament or watching games at home look out for?

Accommodation
The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) says it is receiving an increasing number of complaints from people who have booked accommodation in South Africa only to find that after the deposit has been paid, the accommodation owner disappears, together with the deposit.

Pat Cunningham, executive director of SAFPS, says although the accommodation advance-fee fraud is fairly common, there has been a marked increase in complaints and reports from people abroad who have used public websites offering accommodation, only to find that their deposit disappears together with the fraudster.

“We have one particular individual who has used more than six different names and e-mail addresses to solicit advance-fee deposits, and the same photograph of a property in Camps Bay Cape Town has been used on each occasion,” he says.

To be on the safe side, use an accredited travel agency or website to book accommodation.
As an authorised agent of MATCH Hospitality, Sportsworld has a stock of official accommodation available, visit https://www.sportsworld.co.uk/football-world-cup-accommodation to view an up-to-date hotel inventory or to book.

Tickets
Tickets to World Cup matches are only sold by FIFA, or as part of a travel or hospitality package sold by a FIFA-approved travel company. Sportsworld is the authorised agent of MATCH Hospitality for the sale of the Official Hospitality Programme of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Visit https://www.sportsworld.co.uk/events/2010-fifa-world-cup to book an official hospitality programme with guaranteed tickets from Sportsworld.

FIFA has warned fans about email scams and internet hoaxes which either:
* Falsely claim to be part of a FIFA lottery, prize draw or competition
* Ask for additional payment to guarantee tickets that you have “won”
* Ask for your personal information to secure tickets

Fans should also be wary of tickets for sale on the internet on sites such as Gumtree or eBay. Many of the tickets are either fake or invalid. Generally, tickets are only issued a few weeks before the match takes place so be wary of any sellers that claim to have tickets in their possession already.

Emails and websites
Internet security firm Symantec has intercepted millions of phishing emails and uncovered hundreds of fake websites aimed at fans keen to get their hands on tickets to the matches in South Africa or to watch games online.

It has even discovered a ‘botnet’ - which is an illicit network of computers hijacked by fraudsters to send out spam emails - concentrating on World Cup scams.

The emails contain links that when clicked download malicious software – or spyware – onto the recipient’s computer which then steals personal information such as bank details and passwords.

Symantec has set up a website specifically to warn football fans about the latest World Cup cyber scams.

To avoid being a victim of cyber criminals, be very wary about clicking on links in emails from senders you don’t recognise.

Article wrtitten for www.moneywise.co.uk on 16 April 2010.