Trend Micro Inc. capture a fake screen alert on a website with an address similar to the official sites of the Tokyo Olympics demands users to purchase fake security software. (credits: The Asahi Shimbun)

Fraudsters create Tokyo Olympics 2020 fake websites to fool internet users

According to The Asahi Shimbun and Trend Micro investigation, fake websites of 2020 Tokyo Olympics that claim to have link to the world's leading sports competition are abound in the internet. 

2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games officials website are “tokyo2020.org” and “tokyo2020.jp.”. The official site address for the merchandise is “tokyo2020shop.jp”

The scammers use the Olympics’ related words such as “tokyo2020” and “Tokyo Olympic” to build unrelated and fake sites. Trend Micro revealed they found two websites linked to illicit website. 

Since the fake websites usually connected to illegal sites, they also advised the internet users to be more careful when searching online for information related to the sport event.  

Katsuyuki Okamoto, the Trend Micro official, said the sites were possibly made up to trap users into thinking they are linked to officials websites related to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

If people access one of the false website, warning messages such as “system alert” or “install the newest software” appear, following a screen showed asking the user to purchase fake security software. 

Okamoto added that users can protect themselves from becoming victims of fraudsters by installing antivirus software that blocks illicit websites.  

A reporter who searched online with keywords like “tokyo2020,” “olympic,” or “japan,” found several unrelated sites to the Olympics usually connected to international marriage broker’s sites and sexually explicit sites.

Last December, the reporter made contact with a man called “Turk” who registered two websites address that combine Olympics’ keywords, tried to sell his sites for about $600 (66,000 yen) to the reporter.  

Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201905300064.html