ISLAMABAD: A global cybersecurity company Wednesday warned Pakistani users to be careful with unofficial streaming of World Cup 2026 and betting platforms to avoid losing money and personal data.
The report of the company issued on Wednesday said that the World Cup 2026 kicked off on June 11 and alongside it the number of scammers attempting to exploit fan excitement has also increased. According to Kaspersky, at least 336 unique domains mimicking official World Cup resources have been detected. In addition, cybercriminals are actively exploiting growing interest in match streaming and sports betting.
Since the start of the tournament, millions of viewers worldwide have been tuning in across TVs and other devices to watch matches live. At the same time, fraudsters have been creating websites offering “online streaming” of the championship.
Attackers set up fake websites that claim to provide free access to World Cup broadcasts. After clicking “Watch now,” users are prompted to register to gain access. They are then asked to pay a cryptocurrency fee for “lifetime tournament access.” The danger of this scheme lies in the potential loss of both registration data and cryptocurrency funds.
Another trap targeting football fans involves fraudulent betting and match prediction platforms. For instance, a Spanish-language website was found requesting extensive personal information, including first and last name, email address, phone number and more, under the guise of account creation. Such schemes expose users to credential theft, particularly if they reuse the same password across multiple services, as well as to potential financial loss.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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