What are the red flags of this scam?

Tickets are priced well below face value, or a seller claims they can no longer attend and must sell urgently tonight • The seller insists on Interac e-Transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency — legitimate ticket platforms support reversible payment • You receive a PDF ticket that cannot be verified on the official platform before payment completes • The booking confirmation for accommodation cannot be found through the official platform's booking-lookup tool • The seller refuses to meet in person to exchange tickets, claiming they are out of town but can mail or email them • The listing appeared on a social media marketplace or classified ad site rather than an official event ticketing outlet • The accommodation listing has a slightly misspelled URL that mimics a well-known booking platform

What should I do if this happened to me?

Buy tickets only from the event's official website or its authorized resellers — verify the URL is exactly correct before paying • For accommodations, book through the platform's own booking system and verify your reservation number through the platform's lookup tool before paying any deposit • Never pay for tickets or accommodation by Interac e-Transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency — use a credit card which allows chargebacks • If you already paid by e-Transfer and suspect fraud, call your bank within minutes — some banks can intercept an e-Transfer not yet accepted • If your ticket was rejected at the gate, photograph the rejection message, gather all communication from the seller, and report to local police and the CAFC • Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.

HIGH marketplace Last reported: Oct 1, 2026 Share

A too-good deal on event tickets or accommodation turns out to be fake — payment cannot be reversed

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. Fraudsters sell counterfeit or non-existent tickets and accommodation for major events via social media, marketplace listings, and lookalike booking sites. Payment is by Interac e-Transfer or gift card; it cannot be reversed. Buyers are turned away at the gate.

Fraudsters sell counterfeit or non-existent tickets and accommodation for major events via social media, marketplace listings, and lookalike booking sites. Payment is by Interac e-Transfer or gift card; it cannot be reversed. Buyers are turned away at the gate.

Also known as: fake FIFA World Cup ticket Canada, fake event ticket scam Canada, counterfeit ticket fraud Canada, fake accommodation scam near stadium, ticket resale scam Canada, fake World Cup ticket Kijiji Canada

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Buy tickets only from the event's official website or its authorized resellers — verify the URL is exactly correct before paying
2 For accommodations, book through the platform's own booking system and verify your reservation number through the platform's lookup tool before paying any deposit
3 Never pay for tickets or accommodation by Interac e-Transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency — use a credit card which allows chargebacks
4 If you already paid by e-Transfer and suspect fraud, call your bank within minutes — some banks can intercept an e-Transfer not yet accepted
5 If your ticket was rejected at the gate, photograph the rejection message, gather all communication from the seller, and report to local police and the CAFC
6 Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.

Red flags

⚠ Tickets are priced well below face value, or a seller claims they can no longer attend and must sell urgently tonight
⚠ The seller insists on Interac e-Transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency — legitimate ticket platforms support reversible payment
⚠ You receive a PDF ticket that cannot be verified on the official platform before payment completes
⚠ The booking confirmation for accommodation cannot be found through the official platform's booking-lookup tool
⚠ The seller refuses to meet in person to exchange tickets, claiming they are out of town but can mail or email them
⚠ The listing appeared on a social media marketplace or classified ad site rather than an official event ticketing outlet
⚠ The accommodation listing has a slightly misspelled URL that mimics a well-known booking platform

Known variants

Accommodation scam near major-event venue: fraudsters post fake rental listings near stadiums or event venues on social media marketplaces. Victims pay a deposit by e-Transfer; the listing disappears or the landlord claims a double-booking. Active during FIFA World Cup Canada 2026.

Last seen: 10/1/2026
Counterfeit merchandise: fake jerseys, scarves, and souvenirs sold on social media or lookalike sites either never arrive or are poor-quality counterfeits with no recourse. QR code tags look real but do not link to official authentication.

Last seen: 10/1/2026

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Known variants

Sources