Sports Business Journal: Athletes and Cybercrime: What Sports Agents Should Know
As pro prospects were called to the stage at the NFL Draft in Detroit last month, cybercriminals were hard at work. These athletes were about to sign multimillion-dollar contracts and endorsement deals, placing them among the high-wealth individuals targeted by digital thieves and hackers.
About 28% of high-net-worth families have experienced a cyberattack, according to Campden Research. In 2013, losses from frauds and scams perpetrated via the internet reached a potential $12.5 billion, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has found.
For an athlete, being drafted is one of the career inflection points at which they become more susceptible to cyber threats. Getting an athletic scholarship, landing that first NIL deal, winning a championship and signing a second pro contract also put them on criminals’ radar.