As Canada prepares to host the FIFA World Cup, experts are warning the games have become fraught with lodging and ticket fraud.
As Canada prepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup, experts are warning the games have become fraught with fraudsters offering fake lodging and tickets.
With the help of the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police and officers from Vancouver and Toronto, The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says it’s tracking the sale of fake tickets, short-term rentals and the sale of counterfeit merchandise ahead of the World Cup being co-hosted by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
“Fraudsters try and capitalize on vulnerabilities, they know that so many Canadians and people outside of Canada want to attend these events,” says Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre Outreach Officer Jeff Horncastle.
It’s that desperation that has left some Canadians exposed to becoming victims of fraud.
Speaking to CTV News from the pitch where he grew up playing as a child in Windsor, Ont., soccer fan Adonis Ibrahim says he’s sharing his story so that others don’t find themselves in a similar situation.
“I was embarrassed to tell my wife. I was embarrassed to do this interview, to be fair, because I’m in my 40’s. I’m not a pushover,” admits Ibrahim.
Like many, Ibrahim hasn’t been able to get his hands on a ticket to watch Canada play on home soil.
He ended up going onto Facebook marketplace, where he posted that he was looking to purchase one ticket to Canada’s World Cup opener at Toronto’s BMO field.
A user, allegedly named Ava Green, responded to his request and the two began messaging back and forth.
Green said she couldn’t speak over the phone but that she was willing to part with one ticket to Canada’s World Cup opener for $400.
Ibrahim agreed to pay half up front and then pay the remainder of the once the tickets arrived in his online FIFA account. However, the tickets never came.
“I was taken advantage of. I’m a father. I saved up this money and now it’s gone,” shares Ibrahim.
Fans are also being duped into paying up for world cup rental properties that don’t exist. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is concerned some may arrive in Toronto only to learn they don’t have a place to stay.
Fake merchandise sold as official world cup swag is also a proliferating problem online, according to Horncastle, who tells CTV News that there’s some basic steps you can take to protect yourself.
Only use FIFA’s verified exchange platform for resale tickets and avoid third party sites selling seats and merchandise. If you’re in the market for a short-term rental, be cautious if the price appears too good to be true. Whenever possible, use a credit card with fraud protection when making a purchase.
There are still some more affordable, legitimate tickets available for Canada’s last two friendly matches in Edmonton and Montreal before the World Cup kicks off in Canada on June 12.
As for Ibrahim, he’s been left to continue his search for a single ticket, to in-part fulfill his lifelong dream of attending a World Cup game.
His message is simple for those planning to attend this summer’s World Cup: “Don’t get scammed. It’s not a good feeling.”
With files from Kristen Yu and The Canadian Press
