BRITS illegally streaming Sky Sports and other premium TV on the cheap have been warned a common trick doesn't protect them as widely believed.
Most people using modified and other IPTV services to dodge costs tend to use a VPN.
A VPN – or virtual private network – masks your real location from authorities by encrypting internet traffic.
But experts have warned that it doesn't “guarantee complete anonymity”.
And all the more concerning, is it doesn't protect you from scams that could raid your bank account either.
Illegal streaming sites are often riddled with dodgy malware from .
A recently told Flying Eze how thousands was accessed from his bank account seconds after signing up.
“It all seemed quite secure, so I didn't even think at the time,” the anonymous 46-year-old said.
“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.
“It's scary really, they attempted thousands.”
According to BeStreamWise and McAfee, 57 per cent of illegal streamers believe using a VPN reduces the risk of negative consequences associated with online piracy.
But this is a myth.
“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,” experts explain.
“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 unverifiedappswhich open the doors to harmful content, data breaches and data tracking.”
This can range from malware hidden in ads to sophisticated promising free content.
And many go “far beyond what an anti-virus tool can handle,” explained Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee.
“That’s why it’s important to stay informed about the latest online threats and best practices, to better protect your online privacy, identity and money,” she said.
“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.”
Research by BeStreamWise found that of those who have money stolen from their bank account, illegal streamers lose four times as much money to scams compared to those who don’t pirate content, about £5,486 vs £1,328 on average.
