Expert hacker sends warning to football fans illegally streaming Premier League using fire sticks or IPTV

An expert hacker has issued a warning to football fans that illegally stream matches through IPTV ahead of the new football season.

In recent years, the Premier League has begun to clamp down on fans that illegally stream matches through the IPTV service.

In May, a man was jailed after it was found that he made over £1 million through the sale of Fire Sticks to illegally watch Premier League football matches.

An investigation by the Premier League, local police and the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT UK) revealed that the man had 1,000 customers.

And back in February, a 42-year-old man from Sutton Coldfield was jailed for 12 months after being convicted of copyright crimes between 2017 and 2021.

He had pleaded guilty to a range of offences, including the possession, sale or distribution of a device designed to circumvent technical measures, as well as the promotion, advertisement or marketing of a service 'the purpose of which is to circumvent technical measures'.

People offering services such as IPTV and Fire Sticks will often charge a lower rate than the official copyright holders as a way of enticing those looking for a bargain, with millions using various services around the world

The Fraud Act 2006 states that is illegal 'to watch TV or streaming services without paying the required fee'.

People have been using Amazon Fire Sticks to illegally watch football matches. Image: Getty

Now, Jenny Radcliffe, a professional hacker, has claimed the risks of illegally streaming are huge.

She revealed people who stream are at risk of being hit with viruses that can access bank accounts or steal personal information.

"The perception that illegal streaming is a victimless crime is completely inaccurate," she said.

"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.

"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."