Ex-detective and BBC Morning Live presenter Rav Wilding has warned that people using modified 'dodgy firesticks' to stream premium content without paying are committing a crime, with police now tracing buyers through the bank accounts of busted sellers.
A 'fully loaded' Fire TV Stick is a standard Amazon Fire TV Stick that has been modified, "jailbroken," or side-loaded with unauthorised third-party apps, custom media players (like Kodi), and illegal IPTV subscriptions. These devices are typically sold by independent traders on social media, online marketplaces, or face-to-face for a one-off fee, often £30 to £100, regularly bundled with a 12-to-24-month subscription to pirate services.
Police crackdown on sellers and buyers
In a clip posted this week by BBC Morning Live, Mr Wilding said: "We're talking about these streaming devices. It's a little a little device you plug in the back of the telly and you stream services such as sports or movies. Normally, they are premium subscription service. People are buying them um online usually on the black market and then they're getting all these services for for free essentially."
"But it's a crime. It's not allowed. Owning the stick itself is not a crime, but using it for this purpose is." He revealed that police forces across the UK are now conducting raids, triggered by internet service providers and streamers such as Sky.
Mr Wilding said: "Police are cracking down on this. It's estimated up to 4 million people or households have got these items at the moment. All of them using using them illegally. They're going for the distributors. They're going for the sellers, those that are selling these devices. They are having a lot of success. But actually, once they've got the seller, they're going through their accounts."
Checking bank statements and payment records
"They're seeing who has been paying the money, who have they been getting money from for these illegal things and actually reaching out further afield to try and find out who's been using these sticks illegally and also so they're checking their banks are checking their statements to see who's been paying them and if they've been paying them for these sticks then you know people should um possibly expect a conversation or two if the police want to know why they've been paying them money for this."
"Actually, some of the subscription service providers themselves are losing money to this, so they have been reaching out and are taking action against those people using them illegally as well, so I wouldn't say it's something you should do. It is actually a crime and it can have a nasty fine, a huge fine and also a custodial sentence for users and sellers of these things."
FACT coordinates enforcement action
The crackdown is being co-ordinated by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), an anti-piracy organisation backed by the film and video industry, with police forces throughout the UK now getting on board. Officers now have the power to enforce harsher penalties against those caught using these illicit devices.
Kieron Sharp, chairman of FACT, said: "We have a wide range of enforcement options - from issuing cease and desist notices to 'knock and talk' visits - through to full criminal prosecutions where appropriate. We will take robust action against those involved - not only targeting sellers and distributors, but also those facilitating and profiting from the illegal activity."
Telly viewers lured into purchasing an illegal stick to save a few quid could therefore find themselves considerably worse off financially – and staring down the barrel of a prison sentence. The most severe punishments will be handed down for "supplying and distributing TV fire sticks and concealing bank transfers linked to criminal activity".
