AMAZON Fire Stick owners have been given a strict warning against doing an illegal free trick.
Those caught could end up in serious trouble after it was revealed around 19 per cent of people illegally streamed content over a three-month period.
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A major national crackdown on illegal streaming has led to the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT UK) beginning to send out cease and desist letters to those responsible.
They’ve even started showing up on the doorsteps of those thought to be watching TV, films and sports without paying.
FACT has joined forces with Crimestoppers to help boost the number of people caught watching illegal content.
A FACT spokesperson said: “FACT constantly monitors the digital landscape to combat illegal streaming activities in the UK and Ireland.
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“We utilise a range of methods to identify individuals engaged in unauthorised businesses that offer access to illegal streams.
“One of these methods is through our partnership with Crimestoppers to make it as easy as possible to report illegal streaming, and over the past year, we have seen a significant increase in the number of reports directly linked to Fire Sticks and illegal streaming.
“These reports are then investigated by our Intelligence Unit, and followed up with a rolling programme of action which includes issuing ‘Cease and Desist’ letters and conducting nationwide ‘Knock and Talks’.
“We also work in close collaboration with law enforcement to gather further evidence to actively pursue legal actions against these criminal entities.”
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This latest message comes after a new campaign aimed at highlighting the risks of streaming without permission was launched by BeStreamWise.
They’ve joined forces with key groups across the sports, film, and TV industry – including FACT, Crimestoppers, British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE), Sky, the Premier League, and ITV.
The purpose of this campaign is to let people know that watching content illegally can cause harmful viruses to affect their computers and hack into their personal data, including bank details.
British police recently issued a fresh warning against illegally streaming TV services like Sky using gadgets such as jailbroken Amazon Fire Sticks.
Police say they recently raided homes and made two arrests after finding illegal Fire TV devices being sold with full unauthorised access to premium Sky packages.
An investigation led the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) discovered a Telegram channel selling the illegal Fire Sticks, earning those involved more than £800,000.
Detective Inspector Steve Payne, from ERSOU’s Regional Organised Crime Unit, said Tuesday’s arrests form part of a wider investigation into large-scale high-earning criminal rings that profit from the sale of illicit TV packages.
“We know from experience that the money generated through illegal means such as this often goes on to fund wider organised criminality, which is why it’s key to apprehend those involved,” Payne said in a statement.
“We have also gained access to the details of those purchasing the streams, and I would remind anyone doing so that they will be breaking the law and could ultimately be subject to criminal proceedings.”
