Proofpoint Alerts on Rising Ticket Scams for Paris 2024 Olympics

Proofpoint has issued a cautionary alert regarding a recent spike in fraudulent websites purporting to sell tickets for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. The fake site, paris24tickets[.]com, masqueraded as a legitimate secondary marketplace for event tickets. It was notably featured as the second sponsored result on Google searches for “Paris 2024 tickets,” just after the official Olympic ticket site.

Upon discovering the fraudulent site, Proofpoint’s Takedown Team collaborated with the domain registrar to swiftly suspend the domain. Confirmation from French authorities verified the site’s illegitimacy.

Emile Abou Saleh, Senior Regional Director for Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at Proofpoint, emphasized the dangers of such scams: “The excitement surrounding major events like the Paris Olympics provides a ripe opportunity for cybercriminals. They employ sophisticated social engineering tactics to exploit this enthusiasm. Such methods not only deceive users but also contribute to the rise in Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, which have surged by 19% according to our 2024 State of the Phish report. Fans in the Middle East should be particularly cautious and only trust verified sources to avoid falling victim to these scams.”

The fraudulent site was part of a larger trend, with the French Gendarmerie Nationale reporting 338 counterfeit Olympic ticketing websites. Of these, 51 have been shut down, and 140 have received legal notices. The site identified by Proofpoint featured Olympic event listings and a ticket purchase system, which required users to input payment details and create accounts for transactions.

The design of the fraudulent website was intentionally misleading, mimicking well-known ticketing platforms to enhance its credibility. The scammers behind the site likely aimed to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting users, including names, contact details, and credit card information.

While the fraudulent domain’s primary distribution method was through search engine ads, some users also encountered it via email offers claiming discounts on Olympic tickets. Researchers speculate that the scammers may have harvested email addresses from site registrations or ticket purchase attempts.

The Olympic Games are a prime target for fraudsters who exploit current events to deceive users. Although this particular site has been deactivated, experts anticipate that other fraudulent Olympic ticket sites will emerge. Fans are advised to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of ticket vendors to protect themselves from potential scams.