FIFA World Cup Fever Fuels Visa Scams, Hyderabad Fan Loses Rs 5 Lakh

The FIFA World Cup 2026 which began on June 11, is being held across the US, Canada and Mexico. The tournament has generated excitement among football fans worldwide with many travelling abroad to watch the matches live. With excitement around the World Cup increasing, scammers are luring fans through fake ticket sales and fraudulent visa assistance schemes.

How The Visa Scam Began

In one such case, a Hyderabad-based B.Tech graduate allegedly lost more than Rs 5 lakh after falling victim to a fake visa assistance scheme while planning his trip to watch the World Cup.

As part of his plans to attend the FIFA World Cup in Canada, the victim and two of his friends started searching online options for tickets, travel bookings and visa assistance. During the search, they came across a visa company which claimed to help football fans with visa processing and documentation for travel for the World Cup.

The victim, Prasanth was contacted by an individual who represented himself as a company representative. The communication appeared genuine to Prashant and he was assured that the visa application process and related formalities would be managed on his behalf.

According to a report in The Hindu, the victim and his friends made multiple payments through cash deposits, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transfers and credit cards. To reassure them that everything was on track, the accused allegedly sent a passport collection letter as proof of progress.

How The Scam Was Exposed

After waiting for several weeks without any clarity on his visa application, Prashant decided to ask for an update directly from the Canadian High Commission. When he visited the High Commission with the passport collection letter provided to him, officials informed him that the document was fake.

Further verification showed that no visa application had ever been filed in his name with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The visa process he had paid for was never initiated, resulting in a loss of Rs 5,03,829.

Authorities said fraudsters often tailor their schemes around major events to lure victims. While fake ticket scams were common during IPL, similar tactics are now being used to target football fans planning to travel abroad for the FIFA World Cup.

With international sporting events attracting large numbers of travellers, authorities have advised people to verify the credentials of visa consultants, rely on official channels for visa applications, cross-check communications received from embassies and high commissions.