Mass-appeal events have become prime targets for global cybercrime. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, the cybersecurity company ESET Venezuela organized a specialized online event to analyze the main digital threats facing fans.

 During the session, experts shared and explained that collective enthusiasm and the urgency to obtain tickets or exclusive promotions often cloud users’ judgment. This psychological factor is exploited by attackers to carry out large-scale financial scams and identity theft.

 Most common frauds in online football

The technical presentation detailed that the most common types of fraud operate through:

Cloning websites dedicated to selling tickets.

Deceptive offers of travel packages and accommodations.

Furthermore, ESET analysts examined for participants how cybercriminals use social media, instant messaging applications, and fake websites. Using advanced social engineering techniques, attackers impersonate official sponsors to trick victims into downloading malicious applications, compromising their mobile devices and exposing their banking information.

Key digital security tips for the World Cup season

To mitigate this vulnerability, the ESET Venezuela team shared practical recommendations for maintaining safe browsing during the global event:

• Verify the authenticity of all links received.
• Avoid entering credentials or financial data on unofficial platforms.
• Be wary of raffles or prizes of dubious origin.

In this way, the company reaffirmed the need to adopt a digital security approach to fully enjoy the biggest football event without putting technological, personal, or corporate assets at risk.

To learn more about cybersecurity, visit the ESET website:  https://www.eset.com/ve/. You can also follow them on social media: Instagram @esetla) and Facebook (ESET).

Information and image courtesy of ESET and Comstat Rowland Strategic Communications

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La entrada Experts analyze cyber scams related to the 2026 World Cup: Beware of a digital own goal apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Football fans are eagerly anticipating the 2026 World Cup. However, the sporting event is becoming a hotbed of fraudulent activity aimed at deceiving the public with dubious offers.

In several countries, warnings have been issued about the sale of counterfeit collectible albums and stickers, particularly in cases of street purchases, without any commercial backing. Despite the buyer’s responsibility, this is an act of bad faith towards fans who trust in acquiring genuine items at low prices.

On the other hand, there are accommodation offers at prices that suggest a scam. In these cases, the recommendation is to look for packages from verified tour operators and establish direct contact with the company to avoid falling victim to scams.

A greater risk of being deceived lies in online promotions and offers for items related to soccer teams, such as jerseys, caps, team bags, and sports brands.

Cybercriminals take advantage of this to lead internet users down false paths and install malicious software to steal personal information for criminal purposes.

Prevention and common sense

It is important to remain alert to any indication of dubious offers or promotions. Ideally, avoid accessing unknown websites, pop-up windows that appear automatically while browsing, and emails from unknown or unverified senders.

Likewise, be wary of incredible offers; that is, promotions that are, even, ridiculous.

Remember that no platform can request passwords or banking information. Sending authentication codes is essential during online searches to protect sensitive data.

M.Pino

With information from national and international media

(Main reference image source: My Profit Tutor on Unsplash)

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La entrada Online scams related to the 2026 World Cup are on the rise apareció primero en Bitfinance.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, Microsoft established itself as the most imitated brand in phishing scams, accounting for 33% of all phishing scams. The revelation, which positions the company significantly ahead of Amazon (with 9% of attempts), comes from a report by Check Point Research, the Threat Intelligence division of cybersecurity company Check Point.

Phishing, a social-engineered scam that involves spoofed emails from reputable companies to steal personal information, has mostly affected Microsoft. This type of scams has also implicated other big tech firms like Google (8%) and Apple (4 %) as well as companies outside this sector, including Wells Fargo and The Home Depot, both with 3 %.

Among the top ten brands affected, LinkedIn, Facebook and Netflix were also included, each with smaller percentages. The list was completed by DHL, whose presence at the top is attributed to the increase in courier activity during Black Friday.

Omer Dembinsky, data group manager at Check Point Software, highlighted the worrying trend towards an increase in phishing campaigns this year, further complicated by the advanced use of Artificial Intelligence, which makes them harder to identify.

An example of these tactics was provided by a fraudulent email that used the Microsoft name to create a sense of urgency, inducing victims to provide personal information on a fake page. Similar techniques were used in scams involving Apple, where emails were personalized

electronic tools to increase trust and urgency among victims, alerting them to storage problems in their accounts.

In short, the report by Check Point Research highlights the growing sophistication and scope of phishing scams, placing particular emphasis on Microsoft’s prominence as the main target of these attacks during the last quarter of 2023.

K. Tovar

Source: EuropaPress

(Reference image source: Turag Photography, Unsplash)

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La entrada Microsoft led phishing in the last quarter of 2023 apareció primero en Bitfinance.