In the past two years, binge watching and streaming habits have significantly evolved. As part of the populace’s response to the pandemic, reluctant staycationers turned to Netflix and other streaming platforms to help keep them distracted from the chaos and the indoor blues.
During the lockdown, more specifically till March 2020, it is estimated that Americans collectively watched over 300,000 years worth of content. That is no surprise to anyone who was paying attention at that time. By December 2021, the numbers were only rising.
For many, the lockdown may be over, but the binge watching urge stays strong. An increased viewership, however, has had no effect on the willingness to pay for access to streaming libraries. And so, in their quest to get content, users are exposing themselves to malware traps.
Streaming platforms are the new cable TV
With content scattered across multiple brands and media companies, a backlash to subscription fee hikes was inevitable. The tendency to gravitate towards illegal streams point towards viewers wishing to take back control. And of course, it is also about the money.
From a list of nine major streaming platforms, Netflix came out on top as the most expensive at $16/month followed by HBO Max at $15/month. Interestingly, Apple TV is the cheapest at $5/month. For now.
According to a Nielsen State of Play report, more than 60% of Americans own at least one streaming subscription, on average four, and up to six subscriptions at a time. Streaming content has nowadays effectively become the second coming of the cable television package.
The Tricks of Illegal Streams
Photo by VectorStock
An illegal stream is a platform that does not have the rights to stream the content in their library. From movies, music, live sports, to books, software and games, illegal sites claim to give any and every type of content for free. Their benevolence is unlimited.
In reality, the user of illegal sites is stepping into a minefield of malware traps and data breaches. There are several tactics deployed by these sites to get you to give them critical information that can lead to serious consequences. Some examples are below:
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Redirections
Like Alice in Wonderland, you can click on a play button and end up on the portal for a dodgy crypto platform or an online betting pool. Most often, you will see that a single click will redirect through several unrelated sites before it brings you to a page.
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Dishonest Clickable Buttons
Worse than redirects are the plain dishonest links that are disguised as the normal control buttons you would find on a media player. Click on an X symbol to close a pop-up window on a similarly misleading pop-up and you are on your way to downloading a malware .exe file.
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Un-minimizable Video Content
This type of malware trap works in the form of a looped video of extremely nsfw content that viewers often get in a hurry to minimize. But alas there is no way to do so. In their scramble, viewers end up clicking on concealed links that give permission and access to install adware.
Unintended Consequences of Illegal Streaming
Photo by VectorStock
So what happens when you end up victim to the tricks described above and click on a malicious link. You could end up downloading malware directly onto your laptop or mobile. A garden variety of malware exists just to get the third party in control of your valuable personal data:
- Trojan Horses that imitate banking portals and dupe the user into revealing their banking credentials and credit card information.
- Browser-jacking programs that lead a third-party to access and control your browser. You may already be familiar with these services as they are used by IT support in offices and customer service operations.
- Surveillance software that monitors your browsing habits and passes it on to ad companies. Websites already use cookies to record some of your information when you visit their service but this is the kind of info sharing that you cannot opt out of.
Conclusion
Content consumption these days has spawned a false sense of immediacy. You are skeptical of the need for so many streaming subscriptions, yet you want to keep up with the latest talking points on social media. So illegal streams seem like a viable second option.
Our advice would be to ‘Look a gift horse In the mouth.’ Let’s say, you don’t know how to watch American Netflix outside the US, or your preferred sports stream is blocked in your region. Even when you are in such a bind, it is better to pair a legal stream with a safer unlocking tool such as a VPN.
Without exception, illegal streams are a dangerous and frustrating viewing experience. It is good to stop and think whether this risk is worth jeopardizing the safety of your devices and personal data, both of which are worth much more than a subscription that costs a few dollars a month.
Online Threat Alerts Security Tips
Pay the safest way
Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.
Guard your personal information
In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.
Be careful of the information you share
Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with
Know who you’re dealing with
Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.
Check your accounts
Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.
Don’t believe promises of easy money
If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
Do not open email from people you don’t know
If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.
Think before you click
If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.
Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond
If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.
Be careful with links and new website addresses
Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.
Secure your personal information
Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.
Stay informed on the latest cyber threats
Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are critical to online security.
Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs
Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.
Update the operating systems on your electronic devices
Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.
What if You Got Scammed?
Stop Contact With The Scammer
Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.
Secure Your Finances
- Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
- Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
Check Your Computer
If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.
Change Your Account Passwords
Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.
Report The Scam
Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:
- Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
- Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
- Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
How To Recognize a Phishing Scam
Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.
Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might
- say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
- claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
- say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
- include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
- want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
- say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
- offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real
About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.
By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.
With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.
Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.
Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).