Londoners in particular have received a new fraud warning outlining the potential losses as police begin a statewide crackdown on the illicit sports streaming industry.
As fans of all sports want to cut costs on subscription packages and pay-per-view programming, illicit sports streaming has dramatically increased in recent years.
Without a doubt, football has been at the forefront of this, with fans all over the world using illicit means to watch their side play from the comfort of their homes.
Buying ‘dodgy fire sticks’ that have been ‘jailbroken’ has probably been the most popular way to get around TV channel paywalls and subscriptions, allowing users to access games and entertainment that they shouldn’t be able to.
How much money could be lost if you use “dodgy fire sticks” to stream football illegally
Police are stepping up their efforts to crack down on illegal streamers, as the Daily Mail reported at the end of October. Nineteen UK locations were specifically targeted.
They are as follows: Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Northumbria, North Yorkshire, South Wales, North East England, North West England, Kent, Sussex, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, East Midlands, West Midlands, and Scotland, where there is ‘advanced’ targeting.
According to reports, distributors and broadcasters of these “dodgy boxes” could be fined up to £50,000. London police have now issued a new warning about the risks of being conned and having your personal information taken as a result of using these gadgets.
Football fans may access channels like Sky Sports and TNT Sport as part of their subscription to a “dodgy box,” which costs an average of £13.53 per month, or £162 annually, according to The Standard.
However, they assert that four out of five London viewers believe that scammers are targeting them rather than the gadgets being less expensive ways to consume material.
The majority reportedly lost control over their home Wi-Fi, and others reported losses of approximately £1,418 due to the theft of their bank account information and personal information.
Even worse, according to BeStreamWise, a cross-industry anti-piracy organization, via The Standard, 10% of respondents reported losses of more than £2,000.
Police issue a fresh fraud alert to those who use illicit “dodgy boxes.” ‘Thousands’ may be spent on it.
In an interview with The Standard, Detective Chief Inspector Emma Warbey, a member of the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit, delivered a clear message to football fans and consumers about the dangers of being scammed while using ‘dodgy fire sticks’.
“Illegal streaming might look like a quick way to save money, but as this research shows, it’s a false economy that can end up costing people thousands,” Warbey told reporters.
“This is a crime that diverts funds away from the entertainment industry, which employ thousands of technical and support personnel.
“At the same time, it puts end users at risk of data theft, cybercrime, and fraud.”
“This research is critical for helping us understand the dangers and why initiatives like BeStreamWise are important.
“They provide the people with tools and knowledge to stay safe online and consume content lawfully and securely.
“We will continue to work collaboratively to ensure that this activity is disrupted and those involved are held to account.”
It’s a hotly debated topic among football fans, with many turning to these ‘dodgy boxes’ to deal with the hefty cost of subscription packages and pay-per-view material.
However, with personal information and financial credentials at risk, as well as a large possible fine if caught streaming or distributing these ‘jailbroken’ gadgets, authorities are clearly keen to get the message across to individuals that no matter how appealing these risks appear to be, they are not.
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