Scams Surge in Mexico Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Rising online scams in Mexico, affecting 28% of internet users, are increasingly tied to football, entertainment, and travel ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, exposing gaps in cybersecurity adoption. The trend impacts digital platforms, tourism, and betting markets.

Twenty eight percent of internet users in Mexico have encountered online scams related to football, entertainment, and travel, reports NordVPN. The report reveals that these fraudulent activities resulted in financial losses for 12% of those surveyed, highlighting significant risks as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches.

The data indicates that 50% of the individuals who faced football-related scams between 2024 and 2025 dealt specifically with betting fraud. NordVPN notes that high-profile events create fertile ground for sophisticated engineering tactics that exploit consumer enthusiasm.

The cybersecurity landscape in Mexico shows a direct correlation between major public interests and the volume of targeted attacks. With 72% of national internet users planning to follow the 2026 World Cup, the sports consumption market has become a primary objective for structured fraud networks. 

While traditional scams such as fraudulent bank calls and customer service impersonation maintain a higher prevalence of 53%, specialized fraud in leisure sectors is also common. Specifically, football scams represent 14% of reports, while entertainment and travel scams represent 13% and 12%, respectively.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, 17% of users in Mexico encountered football-related fraud, according to NordVPN. The sale of counterfeit tickets accounted for 43% of those incidents, a metric that allows experts to anticipate attack vectors for the 2024–2026 cycle.

The convergence of digital tourism services and the proliferation of unregulated betting platforms creates an environment of risk for both the financial integrity and the data privacy of the digitally active population.

Research Details

NordVPN reveals that social media and instant messaging applications are the primary distribution channels for fraudulent content. In the sports segment, 74% of detections occur on social platforms. About 64% of those surveyed report seeing scams on Facebook, 26% on Instagram, 21% on X, and 21% on TikTok. WhatsApp was named as the point of contact in 59% of cases, followed by email at 29% and SMS at 28%.

Football-related scams include the sale of counterfeit tickets (reported by 59% of users), betting schemes (50%), the sale of fake collectibles (41%), and fraudulent airfare offers (38%). Regarding betting fraud, methods include providing false tips based on alleged insider information (reported by 36% of users), bonus promotions that require advance payments (27%), and promises of manipulated results or match-fixing (24%).

The entertainment sector presents a similar risk structure, as 13% of the digital population reported encounters with fraud in this area. The sale of non-existent tickets for public shows leads with 58%, followed by phishing campaigns and fraudulent refunds, which both account for 39%. 

The average financial cost of these incidents ranges from MX$1,001 (US$58) to MX$2,000 (US$116). In contrast, the travel sector records a higher economic impact per event, with losses ranging between MX$2,001 (US$116) and MX$3,000 (US$174). 

Travel scam strategies focus on deceptive vacation packages (51%), fraudulent accommodation bookings (42%), and non-existent tour offers (37%). Fifty-four percent of victims in this sector reported recurring fraud attempts, which suggests a high level of specialization in target segmentation.

The data shows that 55% of users who suffered financial losses reported feeling frustration at the time of contact, while 39% reported high stress levels. Eighty-two percent of incidents occur during working or study hours, mainly in the afternoons of weekdays. NordVPN notes that this time window coincides with periods of cognitive fatigue, which reduces the ability to detect anomalies in digital communications.

This problem is compounded by Mexico’s limited security infrastructure. Despite the documented effectiveness of two-factor authentication (2FA) as a mitigation mechanism for unauthorized access, 76% of surveyed users have not implemented this measure. Furthermore, the consumption of content through unofficial channels represents a major operational risk. 

Forty-five percent of internet users use illegal streaming platforms, P2P networks, or unregulated IPTV services to access sports events. More than 50% of this group perceives these channels as safe environments, ignoring the potential for arbitrary code execution, malware injection, and credential harvesting.

To address these risks, the NordVPN suggests adopting a multi-layered security protocol. Using a virtual private network (VPN) with threat filtering capabilities allows for the encryption of data traffic and hides the IP address, which limits exposure on public Wi-Fi networks. 

However, many internet users report adopting basic digital hygiene to protect themselves. Fifty-nine percent of users say they avoid suspicious links, and 57% claim to ignore communications from unknown contacts. The implementation of password managers and the use of secure payment methods with consumer protection systems are critical technical recommendations to reduce the attack surface, reports NordVPN.