UK sports fans who search the web in the hope of finding free football streams are being warned that they could be putting themselves in serious danger. With the cost of living crisis still hurting finances it’s unsurprising that many are now turning to the internet to watch premier footballing action for free rather than paying for expensive Sky and BT Sport subscriptions.
However, this trend hasn’t gone unnoticed by cyber criminals who are now trying to cash in.
A new report from the security team at AVAST suggests that the UK has seen a whopping 39% increase in attacks related to online streaming with those trying to view top-flight action ending up infecting their PCs with data-stealing malware.
Scammers usually lure fans to their websites with the offer of free football but the online pages are fake and do nothing more than dish out vicious bugs.
According to AVAST, a common journey for the infection starts with a page that displays a fake request to download a required video software in order to start streaming. Along with that installation, users are also requested to supply personal details such as email address, telephone number, or an address to start playing the action.
Even when fans eventually find a free stream, they will often notice layers of popups hiding the video content that then needs to be clicked on to be removed.
These popups appear to contain tempting offers and advertisements but these are often phishing scams and malvertising. In fact, clicking on these links can result in devices being infected, user data being stolen and sometimes worse, including financial loss and identity theft.
This latest warning has been issued ahead of the Champions League final which is taking place on June 10. The Inter Milan vs. Manchester City clash is actually being shown by BT for free via its online platforms so everyone should be able to watch without fear of attack. Just make sure you view via at btsport.com/final, on the BT Sport YouTube channel or via the BT Sport App and don't be tempted by fake links that will promise the action without paying
“As we know, cybercriminals capitalise on human emotions – and the desire of fans to watch their team play in the Champions League is a strong one,” said David Jursa, Malware Analysis Lead for Avast. “Unfortunately, criminals often use promises of free streaming as a lure and pepper popup ads, phishing sites, malvertising and other scams throughout a stream to get access to people’s personal data and devices.”
Here are AVAST'S top tips to watch football online without fear of a penalty
• Choose an authorised viewing method. We know, this often means paying! The only way to ensure you are viewing content safely is to watch via official sites. If paying to stream isn’t an option, local restaurants and pubs often show the game live.
• Think before you click. It’s easy to quickly click through the Internet, but it’s one of the fastest ways to get yourself in trouble. If you think you’re safe but start to see suspicious content and popups, slow down and make sure not to click any links.
• Always use security software. If you venture into areas of the Internet that you’re not sure are safe or not, the best thing you can do is have security software on your machine to help guide you. In case malicious URLs or sites are on your search journey. The right software will help block the dangerous popups and sites before they can cause serious harm.
