FRAUDSTERS will be using this summer’s Football World Cup extravaganza in Brazil to con innocent people out of money, police have warned.
West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police have been working together to tackle fraud and cyber crime and are advising residents to be on their guard for falling victim to a number of fraudalent ways. The World Cup kicks off on Thursday, June 12.
Both police forces have been asked by Action Fraud, the UK’s national fruad fraud and internet crime reporting centre, to raise awareness of the potential threat of World Cup fraudsters.
Police officers say there three different ways in which fraudsters could scam people out of the money have been identified – investment fraud, rental fraud and lottery scams.
Det Insp Mark Glazzard, head of Warwickshire and West Mercia’s Economic Crime Unit, explained: “With investment fraud, victims have been contacted by individuals offering land investment opportunities in Brazil, purportedly as part of the redevelopment for the World Cup.
“The investment is thought to be non-existent or worthless.”
Det Insp Glazzard said in the past rental fraud victims looking for accommodation during the World Cup have responded to false online adverts and paid for apartments which did not exist or were unavailable for rent.
Lottery scam victims have received emails or letters claiming to be from the FIFA World Cup Lottery claiming they have won a prize or a ticket to the World Cup.
“The recipients of this correspondence are asked to supply personal details in order to process the ‘prize’,” Det Insp Glazzard added.
“You should never respond to any such communication and always remember, if you haven’t entered a lottery, then you can’t have won it.”
The only official source for anyone buying tickets for matches was www.FIFA.com. No other websites or parties have any rights to legitimately sell tickets for the tournament.
Visit www.actionfraud.police.uk/fifa-world-cup-scams-mar14 for more information to help protect against the threat of World Cup fraudsters.
