FOOTBALL fans have been warned against using "dodgy firesticks" after a crackdown saw a major seller handed a prison sentence.
Police have issued continual warnings amid rising numbers of people obtaining remotes with unofficial apps side-loaded onto them.
Legitimate firesticks offer users instant access to TV from a range of paid streaming apps, such as Prime Video and Netflix.
But "dodgy" versions of the remote allow Brits to access the premium channels and streaming services for free or much cheaper.
It comes as Kevin O’Donnell, 41, appeared in court this week after he was found to have sold modified firesticks for illegal streaming - including live football matches.
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He was exposed following a probe by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), which found he had been providing remotes with access to Sky and BT.
The investigation included a Facebook page under the name Kev O'James which boasted: "Don’t go with amateurs who have been selling for a few months.
"Come with us, we have been selling for many years."
Thousands are believed to gave paid sums between £40 and £80 to secure dodgy firesticks from O'Donnell.
He is thought to have mnade £130,000 selling the firesticks, causing the content owners to lose more than £500,000.
But he was arrested in July last year and appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, where he admitted supplying articles for the use of fraud and providing a service designed to circumvent technological measures.
O'Donnell was sentenced to two year in jail, suspended for two years.
The prosecution comes as part of a crackdown led by FACT, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit and the Premier League.
A further 11 individuals have been targeted for "selling illegal access to premium TV content" in recent months.
Merseyside Police Detective Inspector Steve Frame said: “We have been working closely with FACT to ensure that O’Donnell is made to answer for his actions, and this was a great example of how police and industry experts can come together to tackle this type of criminality.
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"The investigation found that O’Donnell had made a significant amount of money from selling these illegally adapted firesticks and had done so over a number of years through Facebook and WhatsApp.
"We will use all available powers and continue to work with FACT to identify anyone else who is involved in this form of criminality and put them before the courts."
Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT, added: "This case highlights the importance of protecting legitimate providers as well as the significant impact that coordinated law enforcement efforts can have on combating digital piracy.
"The message is very clear: if you sell a device that provides access to content that is not licensed to you or owned by you, you could face criminal investigation, prosecution, and possible conviction."
The stark warnings come as more Brits are using dodgy Amazon firesticks to watch exclusive channels without paying a monthly fee.
The Sun understands you need to know someone who has a dodgy firestick that can then give your number to an anonymous "admin".
They then organise a payment so you can download apps, receive logins and then get access.
You're also added to a "customer service" WhatsApp group where the admin troubleshoots problems and takes requests for films and TV shows.
