Ticket Heist fraud gang uses 700 domains to sell fake Olympics tickets

Ticket Heist fraud gang uses 700 domains to sell fake Olympics tickets

July 10, 2024 at 04:41PM

A widespread fraud campaign, dubbed Ticket Heist, has been targeting Russian-speaking individuals seeking tickets for the Paris Summer Olympics. Over 700 domains are involved in the scheme, offering overpriced fake tickets for sports and music events. The operation utilizes convincing websites and payment processing to steal money from victims. The fraudulent activity also extended to luring victims with fake tickets for the UEFA European Championship and music concerts. The campaign has not been publicly reported and poses a significant threat.

Key takeaways from the meeting notes are as follows:

– A large-scale fraud campaign known as Ticket Heist is currently targeting Russian-speaking users seeking tickets for the Summer Olympics in Paris, offering fake tickets at over 700 fraudulent domain names.

– The campaign extends beyond the Olympic Games to include other major sports and music events, including the UEFA European Championship and concerts featuring popular bands and musicians.

– The fraudulent websites offer overpriced fake tickets, with prices inflated compared to legitimate ones, potentially leading victims to believe they are receiving “premium treatment” or falling victim to scalping operations.

– The operators of Ticket Heist do not aim to collect credit card information but rather to steal money directly from victims, utilizing the Stripe payment processing platform for transactions.

– The company associated with Ticket Heist, VIP Events Team LLC, appears to be based in New York, yet the “contact us” section on the fraudulent website lists the company as located in Tbilisi, Georgia.

– The infrastructure behind Ticket Heist involves the hosting of all fraudulent domains at the same IP address, with a unique SSL certificate for each website and a network of 708 domains revealed through subdomain patterns and common JavaScript files.

– In addition to the Olympic events, Ticket Heist has also targeted victims with fake tickets for the UEFA European Championship and music concerts, primarily focusing on Russian-speaking individuals.

– The operation is ongoing, with no public reporting, indicating that multiple fraudsters are capitalizing on the Olympic Games this year.

These clear takeaways summarize the nature and scope of the Ticket Heist operation and its impact on potential victims seeking tickets for major events.

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