The illicit devices allow households to access paid channels and streaming services for free (Image: Moment RF/ Getty)

Households who use illegal streaming devices have been warned that they risk losing thousands to fraudsters. Gadgets such as fake Amazon Fire TV Sticks are opening the door to scammers, with as many as two in every five users falling prey to data theft and cybercrime.

The distribution of illicit Fire Sticks - an illegal version of the popular Amazon device which allows households to access channels and streaming services for free that you would usually need to pay for - is one of the most common illegal streaming operations. Clampdown efforts on these devices have spanned the UK, including the North East , with courts imposing increasingly severe penalties.

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