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With prices of streaming and premium TV services creeping up, it can be tempting to try and nab the content for free, but an ex-hacker has explained why this is a terrible idea.
Research from 2022 showed that 3.9 million people streamed at least some live sports content illegally. And that's without even looking at those watching Netflix and Amazon Prime Video free of charge.
Jenny Radcliffe is the woman behind the new warning, and is one that should be listened to by people who watch IPTV on devices such as a jailbroken Amazon Fire Stick.
IPTV - or Internet Protocol television - works by delivering live TV shows or on-demand content over IP networks, meaning it’s via the internet rather than traditional broadcast TV or satellite.
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And the use of IPTV services illegally is a violation of copyright laws.
As well as potentially facing time behind bars if caught, you're also putting yourself at risk by illegally streaming premium content.
Jenny uses her expert skills to help businesses identify and shut holes in their security systems. Her advice is that good it has saved company's millions.
Before then, Jenny got involved in pretty crime as a teenager in 1980s Liverpool. There, she would begin by trespassing on empty properties.
But instead of heading into the criminal underworld of Merseyside, she uses her skills to help businesses as a 'burglar for hire', plugging gaps in private security systems.
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Jenny has already issued a stark warning when it comes to the safety of our homes.
On the dangers that can come with illegal streaming, Jenny teamed up with BeStreamWise, a new initiative raising awareness of the dangers of illegal streaming created in partnership with key bodies including FACT, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), Crimestoppers, British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE), Sky, Premier League, and ITV.
Together, they set up ‘MalStreams’, a spoof brand designed to imitate illegal streaming services.
Commuters at Paddington Station in London were offered unlimited free access to TV, film and sports content by signing up to the bogus service.
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Passersby were encouraged to register for MalStreams by accessing an unknown link from their personal device.
There, they would agree to submit a number of personal details. This included their name, home address, household information and financial details.
Often ignoring the terms and conditions (T&Cs) and small print, which can feature clues to a service's legitimacy, participants were then alerted that MalStreams was in fact not a streaming service at all and had been set up to demonstrate the risks involved in accessing content from unofficial sources.
According to BeStreamWise, unofficial services are increasingly operated by sophisticated criminal networks, often involved in other types of crime.
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It says: "Upon accessing and registering for these, users could unknowingly open themselves to fraud, scams, and identity theft.
"Giving away personal data and visiting unfamiliar links are two tactics which allow criminals and hackers the ability to attack and gain control of devices and networks."
Jenny said: “The perception that illegal streaming is a victimless crime is completely inaccurate.
"The sites that host these services are loaded with malicious links, back doors and tricks to access people’s digital and financial information, giving professional criminals an open invitation to steal from anyone who engages in these activities.
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"Whether it's multiple charges to credit cards, installing malware on devices, accessing bank accounts, or stealing personal information such as emails, messages, contacts, photographs, documents and browsing history, engaging in illegal streaming makes you a prime target for professional fraudsters.
"And what is worse, because these activities are illegal, victims may have little or no recourse for recovering their losses and may even face criminal charges themselves."
So if you stream illegally and become a victim of crime yourself, expect very little help.
Featured Image Credit: LADbible TV / GettyTopics: Crime, Netflix, TV and Film, Disney, Amazon Prime, UK News