türkçe links to original Turkish article
(Milliyet Newspaper, 11 May 2026)
Thinking of learning Urdu henceforth,
Suna Ülger (60), a retired woman from Antalya, was defrauded of
700,000 TL (about $15,500) after believing she had invested in an
investment fund through a link she saw on social media. Convinced by
the promise of earnings supported by artificial intelligence, and having
her phone accessed remotely, her bank accounts were taken over. Ülger
said, "The people I dealt with were quite professional. Therefore, no one
should say, 'I won't be defrauded'." (!)
Suna hanım said, "This news report featured an interview between a
government official and a well-known, reputable journalist. The interview
stated that banks weren't providing sufficient returns to their customers,
while some reliable investment institutions could offer higher returns.
It specifically mentioned that with the development of artificial intelligence
technology, the risk in such investments had decreased and the potential
for increased returns. First, I checked the accuracy of the news. Thinking
the link below the interview was reliable, I clicked on it."
Suna hanım, stating that she initially made small gains, said, "The link
contained information suggesting that by investing approximately 11,000
TL, small gains could be made through an AI-powered system, contributing
to daily expenses. After filling out the form, I was contacted. It was
supposedly an exchange and investment network. I did some research
to check if such a company actually existed. I saw some records with
similar names. The person who introduced themselves on the phone said, '
Suna hanım, welcome as a new investor,' and provided guidance. An
account was created through the link sent to me. Then, cryptocurrency
wallet accounts were opened. I transferred money from my bank account
to these accounts. The money I invested appeared as approximately
$229 in the system. Initially, small gains such as $10, $11, and $6 were
shown."
She added that "Approximately $50 was sent back to my account. The
people I dealt with were quite professional. Therefore, no one should say,
'I won't be scammed.' They really use very professional methods. I
thought I was proceeding cautiously, aiming to earn a small extra income.
However, at a certain point, I was asked to perform a screen-sharing-like
operation via my phone. I unknowingly accepted this request. After this
stage, they gained remote access to my phone and accessed all my data.
They took control of my bank accounts, social media accounts, and other
personal information on my phone. Loans were taken from my bank
accounts, and my advance limits were used. They also accessed my
phone book, called my relatives, and used my name..."
Suna hanım said that she lost thousands of liras in seconds, said, "I
announced that people should absolutely not trust those who make
investment recommendations in my name. My aim was to prevent
other citizens from becoming victims. In total, I was defrauded of
approximately 700,000 TL. This amount was withdrawn from my
accounts through loan applications and the use of my advance limits.
I suffered a very serious loss, almost equivalent to a retiree's annual
income."
The Deputy Chairman of the Consumer Confederation (TÜKONFED),
lawyer İbrahim Güllü, also stated that fraud methods frequently change,
saying, "These fraudsters generally imitate public institutions and
organizations, using images and photos of well-known public figures
and government officials. In this way, they create a sense of trust in
consumers. When users access these platforms, promises of high profits
are offered, and small gains are shown to gain their trust. Consumers
who believe this initially think they are making small profits through
'phishing' methods. However, afterwards, the fraudsters can obtain
personal data, take out loans in the victims' names, and empty their
bank accounts."
Güllü emphasized the need for caution when approaching virtual media
content, stating, "These types of incidents are generally within the scope
of organized crime and have the nature of gang activity. The phones and
communication channels used by fraudsters are often traceable. Therefore,
it is of great importance that prosecutors act quickly to apprehend the
perpetrators. Fraudsters operate with extreme professionalism, using
persuasive visuals and communication methods, and acting by analyzing
human psychology very well. The necessary complaints have been filed
with the Public Prosecutor's Office and the cybercrime units within the
scope of information crimes for Ms. Suna. We hope that the public
authorities will identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice in a
short time, and that the victims' losses will be compensated."
