FIFA World Cup 2018 fans targeted by hackers in new phishing attack

If you are a fan of the FIFA World Cup 2018, you could be putting yourself at risk of a phishing attack. Hackers are using a fake World Cup schedule and result tracker to trick people into clicking a malicious link. When people click on that link, malware is installed on their device and hackers can access their sensitive information like bank details and credit cards.

This scam was first noticed on May 30th, and according to Check Point, a cybersecurity company, it peaked at the beginning of June. Now that the matches have actually started, it has been picking up steam again. People are increasingly searching the web for schedules, results, and ways to stream FIFA World Cup 2018 for free online, making them more exposed to the malware.

There is a lot of anticipation and hype around huge events like the FIFA World Cup 2018, and hackers know this. It’s therefore really important that we all remain vigilant.

This isn’t the only scam going on right now, especially as it relates to sports. There is another rampant phishing campaign which is targeting consumers interested in the Adidas brand. The tactic is a little bit different, but the results are the same…once you click that link, the malware is not far behind.

Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to protect yourself from these FIFA World Cup 2018 and Adidas phishing scams:

Always update your software – Yes, many of us fail to update our computers or mobile devices when prompted, but it’s really important that you do. Why? Because these updates often contain security fixes, which protect you. Always check for updates for operating systems, apps, security software, and browsers.

Watch out for fake websites – You wouldn’t be fooled by a fake website, right? And yet thousands of people are. It is quite common for cybercriminals to create fake sites and domains, and it’s really common during large events like the FIFA World Cup 2018. Though these websites look very official, they are used to send malware and steal your sensitive information.

Beware of emails from senders you don’t know – It can be tempting to click around on emails that offer things like free tickets, but these are almost always a scam. Don’t open these emails or attachments, and never click on any links.

Use caution with public WiFi – Finally, with several matches happening throughout the day, it’s very tempting to log into a public WiFi hotspot. These are easily hacked, and the hackers will try to get information such as passwords and other data. Only use secure websites (those starting with HTTPS://) and only connect to public WiFi when using Hotspot Shield VPN.

And check out this guide for how to stream FIFA World Cup 2018 with Hotspot Shield VPN. Keep your devices secure and don’t miss any of the action.