Dodging Olympic ticket scams: your playbook for the 2024 games
Ahh, the Olympics—a time when the world's finest athletes gather to compete at the pinnacle of human performance. If you’re a huge fan, you’re probably excited, as ticket sales for the 2024 Paris Olympics are already up for grabs. However, with all the excitement and the overwhelming number of online ticket options, it's easy to get sidetracked and click on the wrong link. If you’ve been following us for a while, you’re well aware that scammers are just waiting for big events like the Olympics to try to scam people. Imagine seeing an ad that offers half-price tickets or even free tickets—all you need to do is pay for shipping. Sounds too good to be true? Well, they are. While athletes train for the big event, scammers are preparing their fake Olympic tickets that'll get them the gold—your cash, your information, and even your identity.
In this article, we'll explore the ins and outs of Olympic ticket scams and show you how Guardio can be your protective shield, keeping you safe and secure during the 2024 Paris Games.
Scammers are targeting Olympic fans with fake websites
Fake ticket scams: A growing threat
Online ticket fraud is becoming increasingly common, targeting major events like concerts, sports games, and festivals. For example, when Tay Tay (Taylor Swift) announced her tour dates, scammers created thousands of fake ticket sites, swindling her fans out of cash, and, even more dramatically, missing out on her highly-anticipated shows. Scammers prey on eager fans by offering seemingly legitimate tickets at too-good-to-be-true prices, only to disappear once the payment is made. These schemes lead to huge financial losses, not only the ticket price is swiped, but also credit card details and personal information, leaving people devastated and empty-handed.
2024 Paris Olympic ticket scams
As the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, the world is excited to witness the best athletes compete on the grand stage. However, cybercriminals and scammers are equally excited, targeting fans with sophisticated ticket scams. These scams can trick you into visiting dangerous websites, opening malicious spam, downloading malware, and falling for a variety of schemes.
This is how it works: Olympic ticket scams uncovered
Scammers create fake ticket websites and ads that look like the real deal—complete with Olympic logos, Visa and Mastercard symbols, and professional designs. They even use URLs that seem legitimate, like Olympics2024.org. To the untrained eye, it’s easy to overlook subtle differences between these fake sites and the real ones.
These misleading ads and websites appear when you're searching for tickets, often at the top of search results. Yes, scammers pay and even trick Google to promote their fake web pages, and they may land at the top of your search results.
Think about it: You're excited to buy your Olympic tickets, so you search for them online. At the top of your search results, you see olympicss2024.com. You click it, and it looks official enough, with the same logos, layout, and branding as the official sites, so why would you even question it? Sadly, these days, you need to question everything you see online (unless you have cybersecurity software). So instead of taking you to the real ticket sales page, you end up on a fake site designed to trick you into thinking it’s legitimate.
Once you’re on the fake Olympic ticket site, you start the purchase process. You enter your personal information, credit card details and even create an account, thinking you’re securing your spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here’s where it gets even more dangerous. The site might prompt you to download something, claiming it’s necessary software or an update. In reality, it’s malware or spyware that can harm your device or steal your information. Sometimes, the malware can even start downloading automatically when you click the link.
In both cases, if you enter your login details, credit card info, or anything else, the scammers will swipe it and use it to steal your cash, commit financial fraud, sell your information on the dark web, or even commit identity theft. The excitement of getting tickets turns into a nightmare as scammers make off with your money and personal data, leaving you ticketless and miserable. We don’t want that, do we? So what do you do?
How to stay safe from Olympic 2024 ticket scams
While the Olympics are an exciting time, it's important to be cautious—especially when making online ticket purchases. Here are a number of things you can do to stay safe:
Stay sharp online
Be cautious about the websites you visit and the emails you open. Follow the official Olympics accounts on social media platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook to get news directly from the source.
Use official resources
Use the official Olympic app, available for download from the Google Play Store and iOS App Store. This app provides real-time updates. Since there are many Olympic apps, some of which are malicious, make sure to download the correct one by verifying it against the images on the Olympics.org website.
Utilize cybersecurity software
Use cybersecurity software like Guardio to help you avoid fake ticket scams. Guardio alerts you of fake Olympic websites, so even if you accidentally click on a fake ad or visit a fraudulent site, Guardio will block it.
Guardio also alerts you of Olympic phishing emails and texts, helping you avoid scams and buying Olympic tickets safely!
Guardio can be your protective shield, ensuring your online safety and helping you enjoy the 2024 Paris Games without worry. Stay alert, use trusted sources, and follow security best practices to protect yourself from these sophisticated scams.
The bottom line
The excitement of the Olympics shouldn't be marred by the risk of falling for online ticket scams. By staying vigilant, using official resources, and employing cybersecurity tools like Guardio, you can protect yourself from fraud and secure your spot at the 2024 Paris Games. Be cautious about the websites you visit, verify apps and links, and follow trusted sources to enjoy the Olympics safely. Remember, a little caution now can save you from significant trouble later.
