Punishment you could face if caught using Amazon Fire Stick illegally

People with devices that allow them to illegally access TV and streaming services they haven't paid for are warned that they are in danger of ending up in prison.

There's plenty of ways to access streaming services and some providers will even make their own devices to access these, but in general you're supposed to pay to access the shows and movies.

One of the most common versions of these gadgets is a 'jailbroken' Amazon Fire Stick, a modified version of the device which lets a person watch things without paying for them.

It's not illegal to own one of these modified Fire Sticks but it is most definitely against the law to use one to watch streaming services without paying for them.

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT UK) has said that an increasing number of people are turning in those they know to be using one of these hacked devices to illegally watch TV.

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It said that over the past 12 months it's seen a 'significant' increase in the reports of illegal streaming across the UK, which can result in cease and desist letters or even officers being sent round to people's homes.

Kieron Sharp, CEO at FACT, said: “Illegal IPTV service providers are breaking the law and putting consumers at real risk of malware, data compromise, and identity theft.

"Consumers who pay for pirate services should also know that they are often funding serious organised crime groups.

“FACT and Sky remain committed to disrupting these criminal operations and protecting consumers from the many dangers of illegal streaming."

A FACT spokesperson said they were working with Crimestoppers to make it even easier to report illegal streaming, with those caught told to knock it on the head immediately or face prosecution.

Sky’s director of Anti-Piracy UK and ROI, Matt Hibbert, said: "We understand the power of working with our partners to tackle the issue of illegal streaming, and we’re grateful to FACT and law enforcement for their support.

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"At Sky we are passionate about protecting our content while ensuring consumers can enjoy the content they love, free from risks that illegal streams can pose.

"We’ll continue to support efforts to shut down the organised networks involved in the large-scale theft of our content and to protect consumers from the risks involved in accessing content in this way."

Watching TV or streaming services without paying the proper fee means you're falling foul of the Fraud Act 2006.

Section 11 of the act covers 'obtaining services dishonestly', and that includes 'knowing the services are made available on the basis that payment has been, is being or will be made for or in respect of them or that they might be; and avoids or intends to avoid payment in full or in part'.

Basically, if you know you're supposed to pay for something and you plan to nab it without forking out the fee, that's illegal.

If you get caught and convicted for this it's no joke either, you are looking at prison time.

Getting a summary conviction can see you face up to 12 months behind bars, but if your offence is deemed to be more serious and is an indictable offence then you're looking at a maximum of five years in prison.