McAfee Announces Survey Results on World Cup-Related Scams
McAfee surveyed 1,000 Japanese soccer fans, revealing that despite high awareness of ticket scams (74%), 1 in 5 fans would consider risky unofficial purchases to see the World Cup.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 16:35
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 19:55 (147h 19m after Collected)
McAfee Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), which provides online security products, today announced the results of a survey summarizing scams related to the World Cup. This survey, conducted by McAfee among 1,000 soccer fans aged 18 and older living in Japan, revealed that fans seeking World Cup tickets have a risky mindset towards scams, giving scammers a chance to exploit them. While many fans are aware of the existence of ticket scams, about 1 in 5 are considering purchasing World Cup tickets through unofficial routes. When searching for tickets online or on social media, utilizing McAfee's online protection tools allows you to use the internet safely and securely.
The main survey results are as follows:
While expectations for the World Cup are high, only a few fans hope to watch the games locally: While more than half of the fans expressed interest in obtaining tickets, only 30% answered that they hope to watch the games locally.
Fan psychology can lead to risky decisions: Despite more than half of the fans being aware of ticket scams, about 1 in 5 might consider purchasing tickets from unofficial sellers.
While expectations for the World Cup are high, only a few fans hope to watch the games locally
More than half of Japanese soccer fans expressed interest in watching World Cup games, and 52% answered that they have already searched for tickets, have considered searching, or plan to search as the tournament approaches. The interest is particularly strong among younger generations; looking at those who 'have already searched for tickets,' it is 23% for those under 40, compared to only 10% for those aged 40 and older. On the other hand, when asked about the feasibility of actually watching the games, the total of fans who strongly desire it and those who would like to watch locally if possible is only 30%, and two-thirds of all fans answered they would be disappointed if they could not secure tickets.
Fan psychology can lead to risky decisions
Although scams related to the World Cup are a well-known fact, the high demand and difficulty in obtaining official tickets can lead to making risky decisions. In fact, 3 out of 4 soccer fans (74%) are aware of the existence of ticket scams, and about two-thirds (65%) worry about being scammed when purchasing tickets.
On the other hand, 18% answered that they would consider purchasing tickets from unofficial sellers. The most common reason was 'I want to actually watch the game even if it means taking a risk' at 26%, followed by 'The official purchase source is difficult to understand' (21%), 'It seems I can secure better seats through unofficial sources' (19%), and 'The price seems cheaper' (16%).
Tyler McGee, McAfee Asia Regional Representative, stated:
'In large-scale international events like the World Cup, the demand for tickets becomes extremely high, and scammers act quickly to take advantage of that urgency. Even fans who are aware of the scams can take risky actions when they feel they cannot purchase through official routes or feel rushed for time. Fake ticket sellers often advertise through social posts, direct messages, QR codes, etc., so it is crucial to verify the source of information and avoid suspicious links. McAfee's online protection tools, such as McAfee® LiveSafe, McAfee® Total Protection, and McAfee+, help detect risky sites and messages before you enter payment or personal information.'
Don't forget your 'defense' even when searching for tickets
McAfee recommends the following points to avoid being scammed when purchasing tickets:
Leave the 'goalkeeper' to technology: Invest in comprehensive online protection like McAfee® LiveSafe, McAfee® Total Protection, or McAfee+ to maximize protection for your personal information, privacy, and devices. Detect and block suspicious links and sites, allowing you to use the internet with more peace of mind.
Give a 'red card' to suspicious ticket offers: Scammers may create fake ticket sellers or ticket trading platforms that closely resemble the official ones. If the offer is too cheap or the seller is unfamiliar, backing out is the safest play.
The main survey results are as follows:
While expectations for the World Cup are high, only a few fans hope to watch the games locally: While more than half of the fans expressed interest in obtaining tickets, only 30% answered that they hope to watch the games locally.
Fan psychology can lead to risky decisions: Despite more than half of the fans being aware of ticket scams, about 1 in 5 might consider purchasing tickets from unofficial sellers.
While expectations for the World Cup are high, only a few fans hope to watch the games locally
More than half of Japanese soccer fans expressed interest in watching World Cup games, and 52% answered that they have already searched for tickets, have considered searching, or plan to search as the tournament approaches. The interest is particularly strong among younger generations; looking at those who 'have already searched for tickets,' it is 23% for those under 40, compared to only 10% for those aged 40 and older. On the other hand, when asked about the feasibility of actually watching the games, the total of fans who strongly desire it and those who would like to watch locally if possible is only 30%, and two-thirds of all fans answered they would be disappointed if they could not secure tickets.
Fan psychology can lead to risky decisions
Although scams related to the World Cup are a well-known fact, the high demand and difficulty in obtaining official tickets can lead to making risky decisions. In fact, 3 out of 4 soccer fans (74%) are aware of the existence of ticket scams, and about two-thirds (65%) worry about being scammed when purchasing tickets.
On the other hand, 18% answered that they would consider purchasing tickets from unofficial sellers. The most common reason was 'I want to actually watch the game even if it means taking a risk' at 26%, followed by 'The official purchase source is difficult to understand' (21%), 'It seems I can secure better seats through unofficial sources' (19%), and 'The price seems cheaper' (16%).
Tyler McGee, McAfee Asia Regional Representative, stated:
'In large-scale international events like the World Cup, the demand for tickets becomes extremely high, and scammers act quickly to take advantage of that urgency. Even fans who are aware of the scams can take risky actions when they feel they cannot purchase through official routes or feel rushed for time. Fake ticket sellers often advertise through social posts, direct messages, QR codes, etc., so it is crucial to verify the source of information and avoid suspicious links. McAfee's online protection tools, such as McAfee® LiveSafe, McAfee® Total Protection, and McAfee+, help detect risky sites and messages before you enter payment or personal information.'
Don't forget your 'defense' even when searching for tickets
McAfee recommends the following points to avoid being scammed when purchasing tickets:
Leave the 'goalkeeper' to technology: Invest in comprehensive online protection like McAfee® LiveSafe, McAfee® Total Protection, or McAfee+ to maximize protection for your personal information, privacy, and devices. Detect and block suspicious links and sites, allowing you to use the internet with more peace of mind.
Give a 'red card' to suspicious ticket offers: Scammers may create fake ticket sellers or ticket trading platforms that closely resemble the official ones. If the offer is too cheap or the seller is unfamiliar, backing out is the safest play.