Olympic Ticket Scams: How Hackers Are Stealing Your Paris 2024 Dreams

Hot Take:

Olympic ticket scams are the new extreme sport! Hackers are going for gold in the “how fast can we steal your money and data” event. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam with a side of malware!

Key Points:

• Hackers are targeting people looking for Paris 2024 Olympic tickets.
• Fake website “paris24tickets[.]com” is stealing money and data.
• Scammers are using Google Ads to boost the visibility of fake sites.
• French authorities have identified 338 fraudulent ticketing websites.
• Olympic Games are a perennial target for cybercriminals.

Scamming Olympics: Now with Extra Malware!

If you thought the athletic competition at the Olympics was fierce, wait till you hear about the hackers. They’re not just content with stealing your money; they’re going for your sensitive data too! According to Proofpoint, a fake website called “paris24tickets[.]com” is masquerading as a legitimate secondary marketplace for Paris 2024 tickets. Spoiler alert: it’s not. People who fall for this trap end up losing both their money and possibly their personal information. It’s like buying a ticket to a magic show where your wallet disappears, but it’s not coming back.

Google Ads: Now Serving Cybercriminals

The plot thickens as scammers have managed to get their fake site to show up as a sponsored search result on Google. That’s right, folks, you can now get scammed faster than you can say “Olympic fever.” Hackers have hijacked Google Ads accounts, using existing funds to pay for ad spots. Given that these ads come from “verified” accounts, they’re more likely to slip through Google’s vetting process. It’s like finding out the referee is on the payroll of the other team.

Fake Sites Galore

Proofpoint’s research reveals that there are hundreds of fake websites out there, all looking to cash in on your Olympic dreams. French authorities have already identified 338 fraudulent ticketing websites. It’s like a digital minefield where every click could blow up your bank account and your peace of mind. So, unless you like living dangerously, double-check those URLs and avoid clicking on sponsored results unless you’re sure they’re legit.

Hackers Love Sports

This isn’t the first time cybercriminals have set their sights on major sporting events. From the UEFA Euro 2024 to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, these events are like a hacker’s playground. They use these high-profile occasions to spread malware, steal money, and harvest data. It’s like the dark side of the Force, but with more phishing emails.