Fake Shops, Subscription Traps, Phishing Sweepstakes: How Criminals Exploit Football Fever
Summary
Why is this warning issued?
This warning was included because it is based on a report from Watchlist Internet. It is intended to protect other users from this scam scheme. The assessed risk is elevated.
How the scam works
- Fraudsters lure victims with particularly low prices for football jerseys on dubious fake shops.
- At the same time, a supposed Puma sweepstakes for the 2026 World Cup is circulating on WhatsApp.
- Participants answer four simple questions – for example, whether they are ready for the World Cup or which Puma product they want to win.
- A window then opens with nine gift packages from which you can choose three – supposedly everyone wins.
- For 'confirmation,' the promotion must be shared with your own WhatsApp contacts – a classic chain letter.
- At the end, you are asked to pay the 'shipping fee' by credit card – this is where the criminals steal the credit card data.
How to recognise it
- Football jerseys cost well under 100 euros – significantly below the original price and a clear warning sign of a fake shop.
- The shop has no imprint, or the address given is a random private address.
- The shop's domain was registered very recently and is very new.
- Language errors appear in the shop, such as a size chart in Portuguese in a German-language store.
- You receive a WhatsApp message about an 'official Puma Austria World Cup Fan Promotion 2026' with prizes such as a jersey, football shoes, a fan jacket, or a €300 voucher.
- A sweepstakes ultimately demands payment of a 'shipping fee' by credit card to receive the prize.
- Impersonal greeting and time pressure
- Link to an external registration page
How to protect yourself
- If you have paid in a fake shop: Contact your bank, credit card provider, or payment service provider immediately and explain the situation.
- If you have entered credit card data in the supposed Puma sweepstakes: Inform your credit card provider immediately and have the card blocked if necessary.
- Secure all evidence: screenshots of websites, chat histories, order confirmations, and payment receipts.
- If you receive a demand by email for a supposedly concluded subscription: Do not pay – no legally valid contract has been concluded.
- Stay vigilant: Since the criminals have your contact details, further scam attempts may follow.
- If in doubt, contact a consumer protection center or file a report with the police.
What you should never do
- Do not pay supposed subscription demands just because they arrive by email.
- Do not enter your credit card data on sites that demand 'shipping' or 'shipping costs' in connection with a sweepstakes.
- Do not forward the WhatsApp message of the supposed sweepstakes – you would enlarge the trap for others.
- Do not ignore suspiciously cheap jersey offers; instead, carefully check the imprint, domain, and address.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay the supposed subscription demand?
No. If you have fallen into such a trap, no legally valid contract has generally been concluded. Stay calm and do not pay.
What happens if I do not respond to the demand?
The criminals have your contact details and may try to contact you with further scams. Stay vigilant and do not respond to payment demands.
I entered my credit card data in the Puma sweepstakes – what now?
Contact your credit card provider immediately, explain the case, and have the card blocked if necessary. Then check your statements.
Where did the fraudsters get my data?
This often cannot be said exactly. Data gets circulated through data breaches, chain letters, or the forwarding of messages. What matters now is keeping a close eye on your data and accounts.
How do I recognize a fake shop?
Look out for a missing imprint, very new domains, a foreign or private address as the company headquarters, suspiciously cheap prices, and language errors. When in doubt, it is better not to order.
Affected data
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Original source
Find more information in the original source.
Watchlist Internet ↗Update history
- 13/07/2026Warning added from an official source