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Aussies running hot with Matildas fever are ripe targets for opportunist scammers, the consumer watchdog has warned, as it urged fans to beware of bogus live stream links set up to drain bank accounts and fake ticket sales.
The ACCC said scams targeting Matildas fans were starting to emerge on social media platforms, especially Facebook, where people are hunting for the hottest tickets in town.
Catriona Lowe, the ACCC deputy chair, urged fans to be "very careful" if they are trying to snap up last-minute tickets for tomorrow night's semifinal and the tournament final.
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"We are already seeing initial reports of scam activity, particularly on Facebook, where scammers are responding to posts from people looking for tickets and using compromised accounts to sell non-existent tickets," Lowe said.
"There have also been reports of scammers claiming there is a problem with the payment and asking for it to be made again."
Ticket scammers will scan social media platforms and either post or directly contact people to say they have tickets available for sale. If they find a potential victim, scammers will send convincing screenshots showing fake proof of World Cup ticket ownership.
As well as the ticket sale scams, the ACCC's National Anti-Scam Centre said it had also received reports of scammer activity on social media, with links to supposed live-streams of sporting events, including World Cup matches.
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Lowe described fake live streams as a "relatively new scam" which aims to exploit keen fans of various sports teams, including the Matildas.
Would-be spectators are prompted to click a link and enter their credit card details to subscribe to the live-streaming service.
But that click, in most cases, ends up with scammers stealing a victim's credit card details and not delivering the content.
Australia faces England at a sold-out Stadium Australia on Wednesday night at 8pm.
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