Five dangers of ‘dodgy’ Fire Sticks that give access to premium Sky Sports channels after man is jailed for two years
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'DODGY' Amazon Fire Sticks that have been modified to access premium channels for free have been quietly flooding homes across the UK. You've almost certainly heard of them - and may even have one yourself. They grant users access to content from Sky and Premier League for a one-off or sometimes annual fee.
![['Dodgy or 'jailbroken' Fire Sticks are devices that have had a third-party media server software installed onto it]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/newspress-collage-22534629-1685540562623.jpg?1685544210&strip=all&w=960)
Authorities, from the police and anti-piracy organisations to the broadcasters themselves, have been trying to stamp out the market with fines and home raids. In the latest countermove, a supplier was sentenced to two years in prison last week after selling an illegally modified Fire Stick to an undercover investigator.
![[Both supplier and viewers face fines of up to £50,000]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/undated-handout-photo-issued-bank-907063235_704dcd.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But the risks of these jailbroken devices extend beyond fines and police visits - and can even result in bank fraud. Both supplier and viewers face fines of up to £50,000 for using jailbroken Fire Sticks to stream Sky and Premier League content for free.
![[A hacker can spy and gain access to any information sent out from all of the devices on your hacked network - including account details and financial information]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/hacker01-JS906927076.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Beyond substantial fines, suppliers also face prison sentences of up to 10 years. Viewers who tune into illegal streams may face less severe fines, however, they can still teeter into the low thousands, according to a report from Birmingham Live. After policed foiled a dodgy Fire Stick-selling operation last January, they warned consumers that they had access to the details of those purchasing the streams.
Operators, the people who modify the Fire Sticks, may also receive written legal warnings to their home address. In February last year, 22 legal warnings were issued to people across Ireland alone. They were issued with "cease and desist" notices telling them to immediately stop selling devices or face tougher consequences, including criminal prosecution.
