Dodgy Fire Stick users are at risk of losing thousands of pounds as a result of fraudsters hacking their personal information and data, according to a report.
Research by Dynata reveals up to one in three users of ‘dodgy boxes’ and illegal Fire Sticks have fallen victim to scams, identity theft and fraud, with an average loss of £1,700.
The hackers behind the software, which allows users to access premium content from providers such as TNT Sports, Sky Sports and Disney+ for free, often install malware onto the devices.
They can then access personal data, including bank accounts, through hidden apps.
‘1 in 3 (32%) people who illegally stream in the UK say they, or someone they know, have been a victim of fraud, scams, or identity theft as a result,’ Dynata’s research reads.
It emerged in March that the names and addresses of over 300 ‘dodgy box’ users will be handed over to Sky in efforts to clamp down on illegal streaming.
New data shows those who use Dodgy Fire Sticks or boxes risk losing £1,700 on average
Justice Brian Cregan granted an order in the Irish High Court that Revolut Bank UAB must provide details of 304 subscribers as well as 10 resellers.
The decision came after Sky launched a civil action against Revolut, after the subscribers used the banking app to pay resellers of pirated content.
The move raises the prospect of those watching Premier League football illegally through ‘dodgy boxes’ and ‘dodgy Fire Sticks’ being identified and prosecuted.
Sky had sought a Norwich Pharmacal order, which allows information to be obtained from third parties who have become ‘mixed up’ in wrongdoing.
Theo Donnelly, representing Sky, told the High Court that the information would be used to take legal action against resellers and some of the users.
Revolut counsel John Freeman said his client was neutral on the Sky application.
Sky’s action came as the result of a civil prosecution against Wexford resident David Dunbar.
Dunbar was found last year to have operated an illegal streaming service, with payments made to his Revolut account. He was ordered to pay Sky €480,000 (£415,000) in damages and €100,000 (£86,000) in costs. Dunbar was fined a further €30,000 (£26,000) for contempt over a breach of court orders to preserve data.
Sky established that there had been 12 resellers and 304 users transferring sums to Dunbar by Revolut, leading to the company seeking details from the banking app.
Proceedings had already been issued against two of the 12 resellers, the court heard.
Many UK-based illegal streaming accounts utilise feeds from Irish Sky boxes, Daily Mail Sport understands.
The use of these devices is deemed a ‘serious crime’, and police forces across the UK and Ireland, alongside the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), have been targeting individuals who continue to watch unauthorised content.
Sky, who pay billions to the Premier League to show matches, also have their own in-house piracy team.
Police have previously warned that the purchasing of Fire Sticks and dodgy boxes ‘often helps fund organised crime’, and the streaming software installed on the devices often leads to personal information becoming compromised, including banking details.
