{"id":223477,"date":"2026-02-06T05:00:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T13:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=223477"},"modified":"2026-02-06T05:04:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T13:04:48","slug":"kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a special edition of\u00a0<\/span>This Week in Scams<\/span><\/i>, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks set to face off in this weekend\u2019s big game in the U.S., millions of fans are expected to place wagers, download betting apps, and chase last-minute promos.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And wherever\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0a surge in money and urgency online, scammers follow. From fake betting sites and phishing traps to shady offshore platforms and bogus \u201cinsider picks,\u201d fraudsters are ready to cash in on the hype.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s\u00a0what to watch for and how to keep your money and your data protected.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Do Online Betting Scams Look Like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Type of Scam<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nHow It Works<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nRed Flags to Watch For<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fake betting sites<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScammers create copycat sportsbooks that look legitimate, then promote them through ads, search results, and social media.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Victims deposit money or enter payment details, but winnings are never paid out. Once exposed, the site disappears and a new one pops up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n

Unfamiliar URL or misspellings, \u201ctoo good to be true\u201d bonus offers, no clear licensing info, pressure to deposit quickly, limited customer support, payout issues<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sports app phishing\u00a0scams<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScammers impersonate customer support or send fake account alerts via text or email.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The goal is to steal login credentials and take over betting accounts, draining\u00a0funds\u00a0or changing withdrawal details.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n

Unexpected \u201caccount issue\u201d messages, suspicious links, login pages that look slightly off, requests for verification codes, urgent language like \u201cact now\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Unlicensed offshore platforms<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nSome sites\u00a0operate\u00a0outside the U.S. and are not regulated.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if they appear functional, they may charge hidden fees, freeze accounts, refuse payouts, or offer weak security protections that put user data at risk.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n

No clear U.S. licensing, vague terms and conditions, unclear payout rules, limited dispute options, poor transparency on who owns or runs the site<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Handicapper\u00a0scams\u00a0(fake tipsters)<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nSelf-proclaimed \u201cexperts\u201d claim they have insider information or guaranteed winning picks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They charge users for access to picks, but the real goal is collecting payments, not helping anyone win.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n

Claims of guaranteed wins, \u201cexclusive insider tips,\u201d requests for payment upfront, aggressive sales tactics, no\u00a0track record\u00a0or unverifiable success claims<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Is online sports betting legal in my state?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2018, individual states can determine their own laws for sports betting. Soon after, sports betting became legal in waves. In all, 39 states and Washington D.C. currently offer sports betting through licensed retail locations. Of them, 31 further offer legal sports betting through licensed online apps and websites. The map below offers a quick view as to how all that plays out.<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/p>\n

Image from https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/legality-map\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Even as online sportsbooks must be licensed to operate legally, be aware that the terms and conditions they operate under vary from service to service. Per the Better Business Bureau<\/a> (BBB), that calls for closely reading their fine print.<\/p>\n

For one, you might come across language that says the company can \u201crestrict a user\u2019s activity,\u201d meaning that they can freeze accounts and the funds associated with them<\/a> based on their terms and conditions. Also, the BBB cautions people about those promo offers that are often heavily advertised, because \u201clike any sales pitch, these can be deceptive.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to Protect Yourself\u00a0from\u00a0Sports Betting Scams<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sports betting\u00a0scams\u00a0are designed to hit when people are moving fast. The closer it gets to\u00a0kickoff, the easier it is to click the first link you see, trust a \u201cbonus offer,\u201d or assume a site is legitimate because it looks professional.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A few smart steps can help protect your money and your personal information:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stick with legitimate, regulated sportsbooks<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Before you place a bet, make sure the platform is legal and licensed in your state. Scammers often build copycat sites that look\u00a0real, but\u00a0operate outside the U.S. and offer little or no consumer protection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be\u00a0skeptical\u00a0of bonus offers that seem too good to be true<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cRisk-free\u201d bets, massive signup bonuses, and guaranteed returns are often used as bait. If a promo is pushing you to deposit\u00a0immediately\u00a0or share personal information quickly, that is a red flag.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Avoid links from ads, texts, and social media posts<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Scammers often promote fake betting sites through sponsored search ads or social media posts that look official. Instead of clicking, type the website address directly into your browser or use the official app store.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use\u00a0strong\u00a0passwords and turn on two-factor authentication<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Betting accounts can\u00a0contain\u00a0stored payment methods and withdrawal options, which makes them a prime target for account takeovers. Use a unique password and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use a tool that helps block malicious sites before you land on them<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

One of the simplest ways to reduce your risk is to use protection that flags dangerous links in real time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

McAfee\u00a0WebAdvisor\u00a0is free to download<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and helps protect you from malicious websites that may\u00a0contain\u00a0adware, spyware, viruses, or phishing\u00a0scams. It can warn you before you click on risky links, so you can browse more confidently while searching for betting sites, tickets, or game-day deals.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Download McAfee\u00a0WebAdvisor\u00a0for free:<\/span><\/b>
\nhttps:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/safe-browser\/mcafee-webadvisor.html<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also use <\/span>McAfee\u2019s Scam Detector<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to help\u00a0identify\u00a0suspicious links and\u00a0scam\u00a0messages before you interact with them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

** Editor\u2019s Note:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>If gambling is a problem for you or someone you know, you can seek\u00a0assistance\u00a0from a qualified service or professional. Several states have their own helplines, and nationally you can reach out to resources like http:\/\/www.gamblersanonymous.org\/ or\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/www.ncpgambling.org\/help-treatment\/<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a special edition of\u00a0This Week in Scams, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":201397,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10667,10661,13,1838],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-223477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-security-news","category-internet-security","category-privacy-identity-protection","category-mobile-security"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThis Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This is a special edition of\u00a0This Week in Scams, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0\u00a0 With the New England Patriots\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps | McAfee Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This is a special edition of\u00a0This Week in Scams, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0\u00a0 With the New England Patriots\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"McAfee Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-06T13:00:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-06T13:04:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"McAfee\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@McAfee\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@McAfee\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"McAfee\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"McAfee\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/47851fdb92fad9456152405839c92efa\"},\"headline\":\"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-06T13:00:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-06T13:04:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/\"},\"wordCount\":957,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Security News\",\"Internet Security\",\"Privacy & Identity Protection\",\"Mobile Security\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/\",\"name\":\"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps | McAfee Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-06T13:00:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-06T13:04:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"This is a special edition of\u00a0This Week in Scams, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0\u00a0 With the New England Patriots\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png\",\"width\":300,\"height\":200},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Security News\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\",\"name\":\"McAfee Blog\",\"description\":\"Internet Security News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\",\"name\":\"McAfee\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png\",\"width\":1286,\"height\":336,\"caption\":\"McAfee\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/McAfee\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/47851fdb92fad9456152405839c92efa\",\"name\":\"McAfee\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/1ffadfeeda1f4f9e7891a81f27a9ecf4\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Original-Logo-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Original-Logo-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"McAfee\"},\"description\":\"We're here to make life online safe and enjoyable for everyone.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/author\/mcafee\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps | McAfee Blog","description":"This is a special edition of\u00a0This Week in Scams, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0\u00a0 With the New England Patriots","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps | McAfee Blog","og_description":"This is a special edition of\u00a0This Week in Scams, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0\u00a0 With the New England Patriots","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/","og_site_name":"McAfee Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","article_published_time":"2026-02-06T13:00:33+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-06T13:04:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":300,"height":200,"url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"McAfee","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@McAfee","twitter_site":"@McAfee","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"McAfee","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/"},"author":{"name":"McAfee","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/47851fdb92fad9456152405839c92efa"},"headline":"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps","datePublished":"2026-02-06T13:00:33+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-06T13:04:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/"},"wordCount":957,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png","articleSection":["Security News","Internet Security","Privacy & Identity Protection","Mobile Security"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/","name":"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps | McAfee Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png","datePublished":"2026-02-06T13:00:33+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-06T13:04:48+00:00","description":"This is a special edition of\u00a0This Week in Scams, focused on one of the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0magnets of the year: sports betting.\u00a0\u00a0 With the New England Patriots","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/300x200_Blog_091824.png","width":300,"height":200},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/kickoffs-and-rip-offs-watch-out-for-online-betting-scams-this-football-season\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Security News","item":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"This Week in Scams: Big Game Betting Scams and Fake Ticket Traps"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/","name":"McAfee Blog","description":"Internet Security News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization","name":"McAfee","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png","width":1286,"height":336,"caption":"McAfee"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/McAfee"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/47851fdb92fad9456152405839c92efa","name":"McAfee","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/1ffadfeeda1f4f9e7891a81f27a9ecf4","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Original-Logo-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Original-Logo-96x96.png","caption":"McAfee"},"description":"We're here to make life online safe and enjoyable for everyone.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/","https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee"],"url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/author\/mcafee\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/674"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223477"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":226589,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223477\/revisions\/226589"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223477"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=223477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}