UK homes streaming Sky TV for free face hidden costs as new risk confirmed

It appears more and more people are being targeted by hackers hell-bent on infecting devices with malware and raiding bank accounts. According to new research from the team at BeStreamWise, one in five Brits who regularly stream premium content illegally have reported being infected with cyber bugs in the past 12 months. This follows previous data that showed two in five illegal streamers have had their bank account details compromised while accessing content, such as Sky Sports or Hollywood movies, illegally.

It's not something to take lightly: most lose a whopping £1,680 on average.

One UK streamer confirmed she lost £80 and experienced a series of cybersecurity issues after attempting to stream a newly released film through an illegal streaming website.

"I thought I was paying to watch a new film, but instead I was scammed out of £80," the streamer confirmed.

"The website looked convincing, so I didn't suspect anything was wrong until they kept trying to take more payments from my account. My bank helped stop the transactions, but I still had to cancel my card. I'd also handed over personal information, and afterwards I was hit with endless spam and even had my Facebook account hacked. Looking back, it's simply not worth the risk just to save a bit of money."

It's now vital that people stay alert and think twice before handing over data to watch content online.

Speaking about the issue, James Bores, an independent cyber security expert, said: "Illegal streaming sites and apps sit outside the security checks that legitimate platforms go through. This means the risk of running into malware, or being scammed into handing over information or money, is much higher.

“The fact that one in five illegal streamers have had a malware infection in the past year shows that these aren't rare. With so few people running antivirus software and clear knowledge gaps, infections go unnoticed. Once malware is on a device, it's no longer yours: it's under the control of the criminals behind it. That means everything you use the device for – every password you enter, every message you send and all your private information – is potentially visible to them."

Some streaming facts and figures

• 90% OF ILLEGAL STREAMING SITES ARE CLASSIFIED AS RISKY

• 39% HAVE SUFFERED FINANCIAL LOSS DUE TO PIRACY

• £1,680 IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT STOLEN THROUGH ILLEGAL STREAMING

• CRIMINALS BEHIND ILLEGAL STREAMING OPERATIONS ARE BEING