By Benefits Street could spark police and Ofcom investigations after airing its first part last night.
The controversial Channel 4 documentary - which will air four more episodes - focuses on residents of Birmingham's James Turner Street, which reportedly has one of the highest proportions of benefits dependents in Britain.
However, West Midlands police are now considering whether the footage broadcast in the show could help them in ongoing investigations or could lead to new cases, The Guardian reports.
"Like many people across the country, we saw the footage broadcast on the programme for the first time last night," said Superintendent Danny Long. "Throughout the programme and in the hours that have followed, we have been inundated with comments from members on the public, many of whom are concerned about elements of the show which showed criminal activity.
"We are currently assessing whether the content of the programme can assist us as part of any ongoing investigations or indeed whether any new inquiries should be launched in light of the material that has been broadcast. This work is ongoing and viewers will have seen for themselves that my officers have already been actively involved with some of the individuals featured."
On the flipside, Ofcom has reportedly received more than 100 complaints about the show, relating to alleged criminal activity and bad language but also offensive, unfair and misleading portrayals of benefits claimants.
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Campaigner and writer Owen Jones also criticised the show, writing on Twitter: "Make everyone think unemployed people are scroungers, and let the bankers and tax-dodgers get away with it. Clever, really."
He added: "As for well-off TV producers trying to further their career by turning the poor against the poor: You. Are. The. Pits."
Meanwhile, Channel 4 News reporter Ciaran Jenkins revealed on Twitter that some of the residents of James Turner Street have been "threatened with violence" after the programme aired, with other campaigners and viewers flagging up threats posted on the social networking site.
This is the latest controversy to engulf Benefits Street, after participants claimed recently that they were lied to about the premise of the show and believed it was about community spirit. They have also criticised the editing and alleged that private phone calls were used without permission.
Channel 4 has denied the allegations, claiming that the people in the show were "briefed extensively" and describing the series as "fair and balanced".
Benefits Street was a hit in the ratings, picking up an average of 4.3m viewers. It continues on Monday (January 13) at 9pm on Channel 4.
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