People illegally streaming Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk face 'criminal record' for 'life'

People planning to illegally stream Tyson Fury vs Oleksander Usyk have been warned over a "crackdown". Tech experts have sent an IPTV warning to fans planning to illegally stream Fury’s bout with Usyk in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

Callum Baird, a British detective in in specialist technical law enforcement, who recently spent three years investigating complex cybercrime for Police Scotland, warned: "Free online streamers are not providing the service out of charity, but for their own gain.

"This could potentially be in the form of advertisements, many of which may be age inappropriate - consider sexually explicit advertisements which may be inappropriate for young viewers - as they are unregulated."

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The two undefeated world champions will contest the historic undisputed heavyweight title in Riyadh, with all four belts on the line. The majority of the 2,500 British fans expected to be in attendance on Saturday landed in the Saudi capital in the morning and made their way to the weigh-in.

Baird went on: "Streaming platforms may ask for your personal data to register, possibly even requiring a fee to access the platform/service. Inputting your personal details - even without payment details - leaves you open to the risk of financial or identity fraud, or even making you the target of further attempts - spear-phishing emails and calls with pretexting.

"Remember technology is traceable and illegal streamers will have a link back to you, whether it's through your input personal details or the internet protocol address you accessed the service through."

CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Venture Smarter Jon Morgan added: "It’s important to understand that illegal streaming is just that - illegal. It infringes on copyright laws and can result in severe penalties for both the streamers and the viewers. These penalties can range from hefty fines to imprisonment, depending on the jurisdiction and the severity of the infringement.

"In some countries, copyright infringement can lead to legal actions that could potentially ruin one’s personal and professional reputation. It’s not just about the immediate financial cost, but also the long-term implications that come with having a criminal record. Illegal streaming sites are also often riddled with malware and other security threats. By accessing these sites, viewers expose themselves to potential cybercrimes, including identity theft and financial fraud. These sites may seem to offer a ‘free’ service, but the cost can be far greater than the £25 fee to watch the fight legally.

"The risk of having your personal information stolen and misused, or your device infected with harmful software, is a high price to pay for a few hours of entertainment."