Week Three of high school sports is underway. Scammers are out there looking to take your information through fake football and volleyball live streams.
Don O’Brien with the Illinois Better Business Bureau told WJBC the scam sites are out there to get your account information if you’re trying to watch your favorite high school football or volleyball team from home: “Once you click on the link and it takes you somewhere, you never know what’s going to be on that website. Unbeknownst to you, you may download some malware or spyware. They are doing a phishing expedition. It can be really frustrating because you might see this and send it on to a family member in another state and tell them this is a way to watch Little Johnny play his game tonight, and then, you send them the link not knowing it’s a fake link. The number one thing we are trying to tell folks is to check with the school. Check with the school that your son or daughter goes to or that you’re a fan of and see if they provide streaming services.”
O’Brien says the IHSA and school athletic directors are aware of the scams and are trying to spread the word about where to get an authorized stream.
WJBC reports that state athletic associations in North Carolina, Indiana, and New Mexico began cracking down on the fake streaming hosts and websites last year.