HACKERS SELLING FAKE HAYYA CARDS, DIGITAL COINS FOR FIFA WORLD CUP

Thu 01 December 2022: 

As the FIFA World Cup begins in Qatar, cyber-security researchers warned on Monday that threat actors are selling fake Hayya cards, which are essentially permit documents, to fans willing to pay any amount to obtain one.

To enter the stadium for the FIFA World Cup, one must have a Hayya card, which must be presented along with the original ticket.

Researchers from the AI-powered cyber-security firm CloudSEK discovered several Telegram channels selling Hayya cards for $50-$150.

“To create Hayya cards, the threat actors claim to require the buyer’s valid IDs like passports. And payment is only accepted in Bitcoin,” they informed.

Threat actors are also sharing hacking techniques that purportedly allow one to register for a Hayya card without a valid FIFA ticket number, for free.

However, most of these purported coins don’t exist.

Also, to exploit the gap between the supply and demand of tickets, scammers have set up websites that sell fake tickets.

“The gap between the supply and demand of FIFA world cup game tickets, flight tickets, hotels, souvenirs, etc., has been co-opted by cybercriminals, to defraud fans and enthusiasts,” said a CloudSEK researcher.

Despite the attractive offers and lures, users should restrict their purchases to official websites and mobile apps.

“Companies that are FIFA sponsors should bolster their security mechanisms and stay up to date on threat actors’ tactics and techniques,” the CloudSEK researcher emphasised.

According to the experts, you should only purchase FIFA tickets and Hayya cards from the official website and avoid using Telegram or other social media for FIFA-related transactions.