Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Wednesday warned sports fans to be wary of the sales of potentially fraudulent merchandise ahead of the FIFA World Cup in the United States later this year. 

The agency said its Homeland Security Investigations office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and state and local law enforcement work to identify and disrupt the sale of counterfeit goods and seized more than 276,000 counterfeit sports-related items last year valued at over $33 million.

ICE suggested fans be on the lookout for potentially counterfeit items that usually flood online markets ahead of major international sporting events, including the Olympics and World Cups.

“Every year, major international sporting events attract bad actors who attempt to cash in by selling fake jerseys, hats, tickets and memorabilia,” ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall said. “These counterfeit goods are often marketed online and in person, preying on fan enthusiasm and making it difficult to identify authentic products from fraudulent ones.”

ICE said there are ways for fans to protect themselves against purchasing counterfeit items, including by shopping at only trusted retail locations and through authorized dealers.

"Remember, criminals often use legitimate product photos on their websites despite selling fraudulent products," the agency said in a news release. 

The agency also suggested consumers look out for sloppy stitching on apparel or poor quality apparel, purchase tickets through respected sources and monitor their online bank statements and report any discrepancies immediately.

The World Cup games are set to kick off on June 11 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Mexico will hold the first match in Mexico City against South Africa. The U.S. will hold its first match in Los Angeles on June 12 against Paraguay.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.