‘Dodgy’ firestick owners issued £50,000 warning as Sky plans ‘significant’ crackdown

Owners of 'dodgy' firesticks have been given a big warning by Sky, with users now risking fines of up to £50,000.

The British broadcaster has warned that it is planning a serious crackdown on anyone who uses the tech device to stream its programmes illegally without a subscription.

As subscription fees continue to rise, football fans in particular have been left aggrieved and have sought out a Fire TV Stick to watch all Premier League and European games without paying for multiple streaming services, such as Sky, TNT, and Amazon Prime.

Police have previously warned that those who distribute copyrighted football and TV channels, handing out some hefty prison sentences, but those who indulge in the operation are now also being targeted.

Letters were sent to hundreds of households across the UK with a severe warning just before the New Year.

Sky Sports has promised a major crackdown (James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

Now Sky is working with FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) and the Premier League to ensure people can no longer access its content illegally.

Considering football fans who want legal access to nearly every game will have to shell out more than £1000 each year, it's easy to see why fire sticks have become so popular in recent years as a way to access questionable streams.

But Sky has made it clear it will no longer tolerate it and confirmed that anyone who is found guilty of using an illicit device to stream its content could face criminal charges under Section 11 of the 2006 Fraud Act.

A Sky spokesperson said (via The Daily Mail): "At Sky, we invest significantly in protecting our content, which can include taking action against those who watch Sky without paying the proper subscription fee.

"We of course ensure that any action we take is compliant with all applicable laws."

Fans could face hefty fines or prison sentences (Getty Stock)

Anyone found guilty could face a hefty fine of up to £50k or even a prison sentence of up to five years.

But despite the focus on tackling illegal streaming in the UK, most of the UK population still seems to believe it's acceptable, with many left with no other option due to rising costs and bills.

Meanwhile, it seems Amazon is also getting involved, after some users spotted a new message promising a major change to the device's interface.

Users have also received a message as part of a 'two step' plan to crack down on illegal streaming, which read: "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’.”