Police ‘are trawling through dodgy Fire Stick sellers’ bank accounts to contact illegal viewers’ of Premier League football and films

A former detective has revealed the lengths authorities are going to in order to crack down on the use and sale of ‘dodgy Fire Sticks’. 

Law enforcement organisations across the UK are taking a tougher stance on these devices – and how they are used and distributed – with multiple people having been convicted and jailed in recent years for selling and supplying them.

The devices, which often cost anywhere between £30 and £100, give customers access to a range of premium TV services without paying, most notably in a football sense with access to live matches.

But Rav Wilding, a former detective who recently appeared on the BBC Morning Live show, has sent a fresh warning to individuals that use them. 

Wilding said: ‘People are buying them online usually on the black market and then they’re getting all these services 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.’

Wilding went on to say that along with a crackdown on sellers through house raids, authorities are now looking through their accounts to find out in further detail who is using the devices. 

They then often contact those users in a new step, with it estimated that around four million people or households have got these Fire Sticks at the moment.  

Wilding added: ‘All of them are using them illegally. They’re going for the distributors. They’re going for the sellers. They are having a lot of success. But actually, once they’ve got the seller, they’re going through their accounts. 

‘They’re seeing who has been paying the money for these illegal things, and if they’ve been paying them for these sticks then people should possibly expect a conversation or two if the police want to know why they’ve been paying them money for this.’

Wilding revealed that this included checking bank statements to find out the information of individuals who have been paying for such a service, and authorities have been joined by subscription service providers in their clampdown attempts too.

‘They (subscription service providers) are losing money to this, so they have been reaching out and are taking action against those people using them illegally as well,’ he explained.

‘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.’

Daily Mail Sport has previously reported FACT is playing a leading role in the crackdown on the devices, with the anti-piracy organisation liaising with police forces across the country.

And Kieron Sharp, chairman of FACT, added: ‘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.’