Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Iddie Adams has issued a strong warning to the public against falling victim to fraudulent schemes that promise protocol arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Speaking on Sporty FM’s Sporty Breakfast Show, Mr. Adams urged individuals to remain vigilant and avoid advancing money to persons who claim to have special access to World Cup travel opportunities.
He emphasized that such arrangements are not sanctioned by government and are often used by fraudsters to exploit unsuspecting fans.
“My first primary basic advice to a person is that you don’t go and commit your money to someone, and later on, you will be complaining. Don’t advance money to anybody in the name of trying to provide you with any protocol for you to get an opportunity to travel to the World Cup; that’s my first advice to people.
“Don’t fall for lines like, government is part, so give me this, and I will be able to put you in the arrangement,” he warned.
The Minister underscored the importance of dealing only with licensed travel and tour operators, urging football enthusiasts to verify the authenticity of any service provider before committing funds.
“If you must advance money, make sure the person is a professional in travel and tour arrangements, and that you trust their capacity to help you secure your travel documentation, not because someone claims there is a protocol somewhere,” he added.
Mr. Adams further revealed that social media has become a breeding ground for such fraudulent activities, explaining that fake accounts, often bearing his name and image, are created to impersonate him and pressure individuals into making payments.
He warned that these schemes not only defraud fans but also tarnish the reputation of public officials.
“The other one is that the Facebook account is created, they put a nice image of the Sports Minister with all credentials and information that you may not even know about the Sports Minister being provided.
“That account begins to chat with you, impersonating Kofi Adams, which ends up in embedding pressure on people to make a payment, and when they realize they have been duped, then they will be spreading on their platforms that the Minister has duped them, while the Minister knows nothing about that, I advise people to deal with genuine people.”
The Minister’s advice comes at a time when anticipation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is building across the globe, with fans eager to secure travel packages and match tickets.
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