NH Security Team Scam of the Week: FIFA World Cup phishing emails

"Scam of the Week" from the State of New Hampshire Security Team at the Department of Information Technology:

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway, and if you’re a fan of soccer/football, you might want to help! Luckily, you receive an email from someone claiming to be a FIFA recruiter. They say that your professional background is a strong fit for an available job. The email contains official FIFA branding and appears to be real. It instructs you to select a link to book an interview, and this offer might be exciting enough to tempt you to follow the instructions.

But the email was actually sent by cybercriminals! If you select the scheduling link in the email, you will be directed to a fake FIFA careers page. If you try to schedule your “interview,” you will be prompted to sign in with your Google, Facebook, or Microsoft account. But this sign-in page is not real, and the moment you enter your login information, cybercriminals will steal it!

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this phishing scam:

• Remember, just because an email or webpage looks real doesn’t mean that it’s safe. Cybercriminals can easily send emails that look genuine and make convincing copies of real webpages. If an opportunity seems too good to be true, it usually is!
• Be suspicious of any “recruiter” who sends a scheduling link before you've submitted an application. Real organizations do not typically offer interviews before you’ve applied for a job
• Always stop and think before you act! Cybercriminals can use exciting opportunities to trick you into acting quickly