Professional hacker reveals the biggest risk football fans face when illegally streaming matches using IPTV

A professional hacker has sent football fans who illegally stream matches a warning about the risks they are taking.

With fans now required to pay for several increasingly expensive streaming services and broadcast subscriptions to watch football on television, many fans feel priced out of supporting their team from home.

This has led to a recent rise in some fans turning to illegal streams and devices like IPTV (internet protocol television) in order to support watch the beautiful game.

But an expert hacker has warned those fans using illegal means to watch football of the massive dangers of doing so.

Just last year, 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.

But Jenny Radcliffe, one of the UK's top professional hackers, has warned that it is not just people who create the Fire Sticks that use IPTV that are in danger because of illegal streaming, as users also run a massive risk when using the service and other similar platforms.

"The perception that illegal streaming is a victimless crime is completely inaccurate," she said when speaking to LADbible group last year

"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.

Dozens of Premier League matches are illegally streamed every season. (Image: Getty)

"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."

Although using IPTV isn't illegal in itself, and neither is bypassing a media device's operating system by using something like an Amazon Fire stick, fans should know that it is illegal to watch premium content for free when doing so would normally require a subscription.