Police crackdown on people using illegal services

[joglynne]

Wasn't sure where to post this news report so if it's in the wrong place could a mod please relocate it.

Police to visit 1,000 homes in crackdown on illegal Premier League streams and "fire sticks"

They have identified customers from a huge database in a major ongoing criminal investigation and will knock on the doors of people to warn they could also face prosecution. This latest clampdown against 1,000 individuals comes after raids by West Mercia Police against a UK-based illegal streaming service offering entertainment and sports via modified boxes, so-called “ fire sticks” and subscriptions.

The new purge is against people who try to watch Premier League games, football from all over Europe and other sports and movies on the cheap.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...842.1669878316

[Jaymoss]

I know Stephen Millington from the news article. He run The Supremacy Kodi add on which linked to Movies and TV shows rather than IPTV but it did have a live section.

It reads to me they have raided an IPTV seller and possibly kept it running while they gather payment details and used that to get hold of users addresses. IP tracking would be too expensive, time consuming and require lots of individual warrants

Originally Posted by Jaymoss

I know Stephen Millington from the news article. He run The Supremacy Kodi add on which linked to Movies and TV shows rather than IPTV but it did have a live section.

It reads to me they have raided an IPTV seller and possibly kept it running while they gather payment details and used that to get hold of users addresses. IP tracking would be too expensive, time consuming and require lots of individual warrants

IP tracking is also insufficient evidence by itself because it doesn’t identify an individual. When the polis are going after any illegal online activity the gold standard evidence they want is a credit card number which can be tied to a named person who can then be prosecuted.

Seems like an excellent use of police time
After all, its not like you could send them a letter or something.

Perhaps they could also visit 1000 homes burgled in the area as well.

[jfman]

I’m entertained by the “so-called” fire sticks, as if it isn’t brand name.

---------- Post added at 20:18 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------

Originally Posted by Jaymoss

It reads to me they have raided an IPTV seller and possibly kept it running while they gather payment details and used that to get hold of users addresses. IP tracking would be too expensive, time consuming and require lots of individual warrants

From reading the article it doesn’t read like they do intend to do anything behind knock the door. Would that need a warrant?

I’m guessing this is more about spooking the users of such services rather than prosecuting anyone.

Originally Posted by jfman

I’m entertained by the “so-called” fire sticks, as if it isn’t brand name.

---------- Post added at 20:18 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------



From reading the article it doesn’t read like they do intend to do anything behind knock the door. Would that need a warrant?

I’m guessing this is more about spooking the users of such services rather than prosecuting anyone.

End users might not be committing a criminal offence in any case. Theft of services is criminal under the fraud act but copyright infringement isn’t, unless you’re orchestrating it at scale. Also the police might have to prove intent for a prosecution under the Fraud Act and that could be tricky. Plenty of these Kodi things have been gifted to elderly relatives by their idiot offspring. I had to help unpick one unfortunate case at church when a parishioner was utterly mortified to discover she’d been given an illegal Christmas present by her kids.

Denting the business model by spooking the customer base is probably a more effective use of police time than trying to gather sufficient evidence to prosecute individuals.

[Jaymoss]

Originally Posted by jfman

I’m entertained by the “so-called” fire sticks, as if it isn’t brand name.

---------- Post added at 20:18 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------



From reading the article it doesn’t read like they do intend to do anything behind knock the door. Would that need a warrant?

I’m guessing this is more about spooking the users of such services rather than prosecuting anyone.

The warrant I mentioned was to gain physical addresses from IP Addresses

[jfman]

There was a similar thing around here a few years back where police and someone from/acting on behalf of FACT/Sky/football authorities went around pubs showing 3pm games attaching laptops to big screens.

---------- Post added at 20:36 ---------- Previous post was at 20:35 ----------

Originally Posted by Jaymoss

The warrant I mentioned was to gain physical addresses from IP Addresses