The World Cup is just around the corner. As the hype builds in San Diego, the scramble for tickets will also intensify — the type of scramble that may cause fans to ignore their better judgment should they be targeted by scammers.

World Cup fever

“This team went in 1975 as the Iranian National Team,” said Yousef Mahdavi, pointing to old newspaper clippings and pictures pinned to a wall inside his store, Soccer USA, in San Diego.

Few will ever know what it’s like to represent your country at the highest level. Fewer will know what it's like to score at the international level. Even Mahdavi had a hard time explaining.

“You know that it’s going to goal, it’s not a goal yet, but you know it,” he said, reaching back 50 years into his past. “Before anyone knows, you know it’s going to be a g

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