✓ verbatim from the press
World Cup 2026-related fraud in Brazil has nearly doubled over the past two years, according to a NordVPN survey released this week. The virtual private network company reported that 34% of Brazilian internet users encountered football-related scams in 2024 and 2025, compared to 19% during the 2022 World Cup cycle. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Levantamento da NordVPN, provedor de serviços de rede privada virtual, aponta que 34% dos brasileiros que utilizam internet relataram contato com golpes ligados ao tema em 2024 e 2025. O número representa quase o dobro dos 19% registrados antes da Copa de 2022."
The increase coincides with sophisticated digital attacks powered by generative artificial intelligence, which reduced the time needed to create fraudulent websites from weeks to just hours, according to Marcelo Souza, Product Vice President at Certta, an anti-fraud verification company. Complaints to Procon-SP related to the World Cup multiplied eightfold in the past three months, jumping from 19 in March to 156 in May 2026. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"Hoje, com ferramentas de inteligência artificial generativa acessíveis a qualquer pessoa, esse ciclo caiu para poucas horas", afirma Marcelo Souza, vice-presidente de Produto da Certta, empresa de verificação inteligente que unifica soluções antifraude em uma única plataforma."
"As queixas no órgão saltaram de 19 em março para 63 em abril e 156 em maio."
Instagram appears as the main entry point for scams, accounting for 51% of cases, followed by WhatsApp (48%), Facebook (35%) and TikTok (26%), according to the NordVPN survey. The most frequent types include illegal betting, fake ticket sales and counterfeit product sales. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Instagram: 51% dos casos; WhatsApp: 48%; Facebook: 35%; TikTok: 26%. Entre as modalidades mais frequentes estão apostas ilegais, venda de ingressos falsos e comercialização de produtos falsificados."
Pix changed the fraud landscape compared to the 2022 World Cup, when cards and bank slips still predominated. "Pix also changes the equation quite concretely. The instantaneous and irreversible nature of the transaction eliminates the reaction window," Souza told Agência Brasil. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"O Pix também muda a equação de forma bastante concreta. A instantaneidade e a irreversibilidade da transação eliminam a janela de reação", destaca."
Specific fraud related to World Cup stickers and albums jumped from zero in March to 109 records in May at Procon-SP, concentrated in misleading ads and counterfeiting in marketplaces and message groups. Criminals have also begun creating fictitious brands that present themselves as official event partners and infiltrating legitimate collector groups to gain trust before executing scams. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"As reclamações específicas sobre figurinhas e álbuns da Copa saltaram de zero em março para 34 em abril e 109 registros em maio. As denúncias estão concentradas em anúncios enganosos e falsificações em marketplaces e grupos de mensagens."
"Os criminosos também passaram a criar marcas fictícias que se apresentam como parceiras oficiais do evento e a infiltrar-se em grupos legítimos de colecionadores e torcedores para conquistar confiança antes de aplicar os golpes."
Both outlets reproduce the same NordVPN survey data and Procon-SP statistics without divergences
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (1)
UOL includes additional quote from Marcelo Souza about corporate response time to changing criminal tactics
-
What is the complete methodology, sample size and exact period of NordVPN's World Cup 2026 fraud survey?
Why it's still unknown: The original NordVPN report with methodological details could not be located by the research team, only the statistics cited by the press.
-
What specific measures is the federal government taking against World Cup 2026 fraud?
Why it's still unknown: Searches on official portals of Planalto, Ministry of Justice and Federal Police returned no announcements about task forces or enforcement measures for the 2026 World Cup.
-
What is the total financial value of losses caused by World Cup 2026-related fraud?
Why it's still unknown: No source presented quantified estimates of financial losses to consumers.
-
How are legitimate companies in the sports betting and ticket sales sector responding to increased fraud?
Why it's still unknown: Reports focused on scams but did not include positions from authorized companies on protection measures or impacts on their business.