A video consumer watching Sky Sports thought that the site he was watching on recommendation of his friends was safe, when in reality it was an illegal site that went after his bank accounts soon after he entered his bank details to subscribe.
Ironically, the bank detected the unusual pattern of transactions and automatically blocked them; saving the piracy consumer from the pirates.
Quoted by the UK’s The Sun newspaper, “After that, the payment was taken but there were all sorts of transactions on my bank account for quite a large amount of money which were on various times and various dates for different amounts … they attempted thousands.”
VPNs not safe either
Research conducted by BeStreamWise and McAfee and reported widely by the UK press said that 57% of consumers accessing illegal streaming sites believe that using a VPN resuces the risks associated with online piracy.
Also quoted by The Sun, “While VPNs can help secure your data in transit, they cannot protect you from giving out personal information on a malicious site, getting infected with malware and viruses, or guarantee complete anonymity.
“Over a third (34%) of illegal streamers doubt the dodgy box or stick they use is risky because they got it through someone they know. Regardless of who you purchase these from, jailbroken devices (which allow users to watch copyrighted content for free) unlock access to third-party and unverified apps which open the doors to harmful content, data breaches and data tracking.”
And then there’s AI
“Recent advances in AI are also making it harder to tell the difference between what’s real and what isn’t online, but scammers will always use a sense of urgency to try and catch you with your guard down, so be cautious and think twice before clicking links or sharing personal info,” sid Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA for McAfee and reported by The Sun.
Further reading
Playing with Fire: Modified Fire TV stick users warned common trick does NOT protect from danger when illegally streaming Sky Sports. Article. April 11, 2025. by Jamie Harris Assistant Technology & Science Editor. The Sun (UK)
Stream On: Criminals instantly accessed my monty after I illegally streamed Sky Sports – Don’t make the same three mistakes I did. Article. March 20, 2025. by Jamie Harris Assistant Technology & Science Editor. The Sun (UK)
Illegal streamers in Ireland lose six times more money to scams. Press release. March 25, 2025. BeStreamwise.com (UK)
1 in 4 people targeted by scammers via online piracy. Press release. March 6, 2025. BeStreamWise.com (UK)
Why it matters
According to BeStreamWise.com, 1 in 4 scam victims believe they were targeted as a direct result of online piracy. “More than half of Brits (53%) believe that illegal streaming carries little to no serious consequences. The reality is far more alarming.” A study by Sapio Research commissioned by BeStreamWise and released in February 2025 found that of those who have had money stolen from their bank account, those consuming illegal streaming services “lose four times as much money to scams compared to those who don’t pirate content (£5,486 vs £1,328 on average).”
In Ireland, 2 in 5 (42%) admit to recommending illegal streaming to someone they know. However, with the dangers unbeknownst to many, the true cost of free content can be far greater than expected.
Illegal streaming sites and apps are often used to deliver dangerous malware, with 90% of sites classified as risky according to analysis conducted by cyber security experts Opentex
BeStreamWise is a collaboration of FACT, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), the British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE), CrimeStoppers, Sky, the Premier League, the Irish Industry Trust for IP Awareness, ITV, DAZN, the City of London Police Intllectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), the BBC, the Gaelic Athletic Association (Ireland), Universal, Clubber (Ireland) and Formula 1.
