Hackers are stealing nearly £1,700 from people who illegally stream movies or TV shows, according to researchers. A survey of 2,000 people by BeStreamWise, an initiative established to counter illegal streaming, found that one in five (18%) reported a malware infection within 12 months of using pirate sites. Among illegal streamers, 41% lost an average of £1,680 after attackers gained access to their devices and bank accounts.
Victim loses nearly £2,000 after entering PayPal details
David, a man in his 30s who asked to remain anonymous, lost nearly £2,000 after entering his PayPal details to upgrade an unofficial service offering live sport. He said he turned to illegal streaming because legitimate subscriptions cost around £60 a month, making a one-off £89 fee for an illegal website a “no-brainer.” David recalled: “I noticed money had been intermittently coming out of my account – £100 here, £150 there. But trying to speak with PayPal and my bank while also navigating that I hadn’t done anything bad was a headache.” He has since warned friends in football group chats to avoid illegitimate streaming.
Widespread use of work devices for illegal streaming
The survey also revealed that 68% of illegal streamers use a work phone to access pirated content, and 58% have streamed illegally on a work laptop. This practice increases the risk of malware spreading to corporate networks. Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at online privacy company NordVPN, said: “Cybercriminals know people are willing to click through pop-ups, download unknown apps or enter payment details if they believe they are getting access to sport, films or TV for free. Once malware is on a phone or laptop, it can put everything else on that device at risk.”
How illegal streaming works and its scale
Illegal streaming sites attracted 247 billion visits worldwide in 2024, up from 216 billion the year before, according to piracy tracker Muso. Modern piracy involves quickly ripping content from legitimate streaming sites or obtaining it from studio insiders. Hackers have even broken into post-production vaults to steal unreleased shows, as happened with Orange Is the New Black in 2017. Modified streaming devices, known as “dodgy sticks,” are also sold on social media platforms like Facebook, offering stolen lineups larger than Netflix and Amazon Prime Video combined. Because these services are hosted on overseas servers, copyright holders have limited legal options to remove them.
Risks of modded streaming devices
Briedis warned that modded streaming devices can collect viewers’ data, redirect them to spam pages, or take control of their home networks. “The temptation with illegal streaming is often framed as saving money, but the potential cost can be far higher,” she added. A BeStreamWise spokesperson said: “It’s clear that watching content through unofficial sources can leave people vulnerable to cyber-attacks. That’s why we encourage the use of legitimate services, keeping devices updated, and regularly checking for signs of malicious software, so everyone can enjoy the content they love safely.”
