Better Business Bureau Tips: Beware of high school sports streaming scams

ST. LOUIS — As a new school year kicks into gear, the Better Business Bureau wants to remind consumers to be on the lookout for scam streaming links when planning to watch a high school sports event online.

Live streams allow family, friends and fans to catch their local high school’s games without attending in person. Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of this popular viewing method by posting links to fake streams on social media. Their goal is to capture personal information or money when fans log in to watch their team play. 

The posts often tag the schools involved in the event to make the post appear legitimate. Scammers hope the would-be viewer inputs personal information, like credit card and Social Security numbers, and pays to watch the event. The consumer doesn’t get to watch the game because the scammer has not set up a stream. Instead, whatever data they entered may be compromised. 

In a press release, Matt Troha, an assistant executive director with the Illinois High School Association, said to BBB, “Fans need to remain diligent in where and how they find the stream of a high school contest.”

Troha said fake streaming links posted to social media lure unsuspecting fans. 

“On X (formerly known as Twitter) especially, take notice of account names and photos, which often seem to be random, and look at their follower and following numbers,” Troha said. “Low follower counts indicate the account likely was just started. Look at the content of their posts, as most are nothing but posts to stream games.”

Consumers from several states reported to BBB Scam Tracker they lost small amounts of money in 2022 and 2023 while trying to stream athletic events. Many reported that the scam links asked for a small fee ($1) to watch the stream, and then scammers went on to make unauthorized charges to the consumer’s card.

In November 2023, a consumer paid $1 to watch a high school football game online. Upon paying, they were immediately bombarded with scam emails confirming they had signed up for a $60/month service, which they did not agree to.

“If you want to watch a specific school’s game online, check with the school to see if it has streaming options available,” said Michelle L. Corey, BBB St. Louis president and CEO. “While many schools offer live streaming now, there are others who do not.”

BBB offers these tips on how to stay safe online:

• Research websites before paying any money or entering any information. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org or by calling 888-996-3887.

• Pay by credit card whenever possible in case you need to challenge the payment.

• Check the website’s security settings. If the site is secure, its URL (web address) should start with “https://.” You also may see a picture of a small closed lock in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.

• Be cautious before clicking links in social media posts or unsolicited text messages or emails. Clicking on unfamiliar links can place you at risk for malware or identity theft