Amazon Fire Stick crackdown as fans streaming Premier League games face 'serious consequences'

Football fans who use or sell 'dodgy' Fire Sticks to stream Premier League matches have been given a 'clear warning' to 'stop immediately'. A fresh caution has been issued, reminding fans that streaming their favourite teams via these devices could lead to 'serious consequences'.

As Christmas approaches and the football calendar fills up, efforts to disrupt and dismantle piracy operations have ramped up. Fans who continue with these illegal activities face the threat of criminal prosecution.

During a recent two-week enforcement operation, some Midlanders received a 'knock at the door', with cease-and-desist warnings also sent by post. The crackdown saw the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) and police officers target 30 suppliers of illegal IPTV services, including some in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

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The cease-and-desist measures were "not just warnings", according to Kieron Sharp, the CEO at FACT. He said they were "the first step toward holding offenders accountable" and stressed that those selling unauthorised access to premium content - including film, television and live sports - faced "serious consequences" if they ignored the notices.

Mr Sharp continued: He continued: "We strongly advise anyone involved in these activities to stop immediately. If you’re supplying or using illicit streaming devices or illegal IPTV subscriptions, take this as a clear warning: you are breaking the law and risk facing serious consequences. We will continue working with police to track down and shut down these illegal operations."

Where did the Fire Stick crackdown take place?

The clampdown spanned regions across the UK, including:

• London

• Kent

• Sussex

• Norfolk

• Northamptonshire

• Lincolnshire

• Staffordshire

• East and West Midlands

• Greater Manchester

• Cheshire

• Merseyside

• Northumbria

• North Yorkshire

Can you be arrested for using dodgy Fire Sticks?

While it's not technically illegal to own a hacked or 'jailbroken' Fire Stick - or similar streaming device - if it is used to stream paywalled content for free, that is against the law. A 42-year-old man in Newport was previously nabbed for his suspected role in an illicit IPTV scheme, which included selling these unlawful Fire Sticks.

Jonathan Edge, 29, from Liverpool, persisted in peddling pirated devices, despite receiving a cease-and-desist notice from FACT. His activities led to a three-year and four-month prison sentence after a private prosecution by the Premier League for offences under the Fraud Act.

What are the other risks of dodgy Fire Sticks?

Illegally modified Fire Sticks have other risks, an expert has warned. Cyber criminals could use them to access to personal data - and may even be able roam around home networks and spy on cameras.

Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET told The Sun: "Although tempting, dodgy Fire Sticks loaded with unauthorised apps can pose unknown risks to those using them and the devices they are plugged in to. These devices have been known to be shipped with malware that is designed to steal your personal data or allow hackers to roam around your home network - or even take control of your webcams."