Hundreds of households sent letter from police in latest Fire Stick crackdown

The crackdown on 'dodgy' Fire Sticks hasn't come to a stop over the festive season - in fact, it's ramped up.

Hundreds of Brits have just received warning letters about binge-watching their favourite shows on the bootleg gadgets in the wake of the prosecution of an illegal streaming kingpin.

The details of customers who bought one of Jonathan Edge's doctored devices were seized by Merseyside Police after the father-of-two, 30, was jailed last year.

The Liverpool man's lawyer claimed that he had been ‘helping the poor like Robin Hood’ by supplying the jailbroken Fire Sticks in return for cash-in-hand payments.

These modified devices allow people to access paywalled shows and live sports without a subscription - but it is illegal.

Edge pleaded guilty to three offences under the Fraud Act in November 2024 and was sentenced to three years and four months behind bars for the scheme.

Now, a host of people who purchased dodgy Fire Sticks from him have been sent a warning message reminding them of the risks they are running by using them.

Brits using dodgy Fire Sticks can land themselves in legal trouble (Getty Stock Image)

Technically, you could end up in prison for using one of these devices to stream content, as being caught violating section 11 of the Fraud Act comes with some hefty consequences.

The UK’s leading anti-piracy organisation, Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), has long warned that people are putting themselves at risk of 'malware, data compromise, and identity theft' by using unauthorised gadgets.

This is who has sent a warning letter to those who purchased a dodgy box off Edge before the law caught up with him.

More than a thousand households have been given a friendly reminder that using these sketchy Fire Sticks is illegal.

FACT has also cautioned Brits about the risks they are putting themselves at.

The organisation's chairman, Kieron Sharp, said: "This campaign makes it clear that end users of illegal streaming services are breaking the law.

Jonathan Edge's customers have received a reminder about the risks that come with illegal streaming (Merseyside Police)

"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."

Recent research found that nine out of 10 people in the UK who are illegally streaming content on a dodgy device don't really know about the risks they are taking, which could involve them losing money.

It is thought that a lot of users don't consider the dangers that having their bank details and personal information stored on these dodgy devices can bring.

Detective Sergeant Adam Dagnall of Merseyside Police’s Cybercrime Unit explained why police in the UK are putting so much work into the Fire Stick crackdown.

"Merseyside Police takes illegal streaming seriously because it often helps fund organised crime and puts users at real risk," he said.

"Not only is it a criminal offence, but the unauthorised streaming services frequently contain malware that can compromise personal devices and lead to the loss of information such as banking details, or be used to commit identity fraud."

Police in the UK have launched a crackdown on the bootleg devices (Michael Short/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Alethea Fowler of the Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit also urged people to realise the dangers that these dodgy devices bring into their homes.

"Users of illegal streaming services may see it as a harmless crime, but there is no such thing," she said.

"Not only do the end users of these services face risks such as loss of personal data and fire risk to their property, but they are also funding serious and organised crime.

"Criminals rarely stop at one income stream, and by purchasing illicit goods you are enabling further forms of criminality, often involving exploitation and harm.

"We would encourage anyone who is considering using illegal streaming services to consider the risks to themselves, their families, and their wider communities."

It comes months after Amazon announced it would be blocking people's ability to download bogus apps for illegal streaming purposes amid the ongoing battle against digital piracy.