Football fans using Fire Stick devices to illegally stream content have reportedly been receiving warning messages.
For years, sports fans have been using so-called 'dodgy fire sticks' to to bypass paywalls and subscriptions and illegally stream matches, as well as films and TV programmes,
Not only do the devices allow users to bypass subscriptions, but they also mean fans are able to watch the notorious 3pm fixtures which cannot be broadcasted live in the UK.
The Intellectual Property Office estimates that around 6.2 million British people across the UK consumed illegal TV coverage, forcing bodies like the Premier League, Sky and FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) to recently crack down on the devices.
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As part of this crackdown, some users are claiming that they have been receiving a pop-up message warning them about using the illegal devices.
In recent months, there has been an increase in discussions regarding legal punishments for using illegal Fire Sticks, including a recent update that was rolled out in a bid to stop illegal streaming.
As part of a reported ‘two-step' plan since the update, several users may have been seeing a pop-up when they've been using certain apps.
The reported alert says: "Warning. One or more apps on your device have been identified as using or providing access to unlicensed content, including this app, and will be disabled.
"To remove this app now, select 'Uninstall'.”
The next step of the plan will allegedly block the users from using all app services on the stick, rendering it completely useless.
But it's not just on the Fire Stick itself that users have been contacted, as others are reportedly receiving texts and emails that are warning them about their usage after police were able to access the customer contact details of more than 1,000 UK streamers.
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The information was gathered following police investigations into users suspected of operating the illegal streaming services.
According to a report from The Mirror, streamers have also been sent a ‘cease and desist’ message by FACT.
Speaking about the plan, FACT chairman Kieron Sharp said: “This campaign makes it clear that end users of illegal streaming services are breaking the law.
"The risks are real, from potential criminal liability to exposure to scams, viruses, and harmful content. We urge people to protect themselves and their families by only using legitimate providers."
Addressing the issue, a spokesperson for Amazon previously told the Mirror: "Piracy is illegal, and we’ve always worked to block it from our Appstore.
"Through an expanded program led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition fighting digital piracy, we’ll now block apps identified as providing access to pirated content — including those installed from outside our Appstore."
Topics: Premier League, Football
Ben McCrum