20.02.2026 12:24
Social Security Chief Specialist İsa Karakaş announced that the Social Security Institution (SGK) cancels approximately 100,000 retirement transactions each year as part of its fight against fake insurance. Retirements are canceled for individuals who do not have actual employment, are shown as insured by shell companies, or have fake divorces.
Recently, the Social Security Institution (SGK), which has increased its inspections against fraudulent insurance cases, cancels the retirement processes of nearly 100,000 people each year.
It draws attention to which situations are considered irregularities in the institution's investigations and which cases are deemed 'fraudulent insurance.' Social Security Chief Expert İsa Karakaş answered questions about the situations in which SGK cancels retirement processes.
"IF THERE IS NO ACTUAL WORK, SGK CANCELS THAT INSURANCE"
Karakaş emphasized that if a person has a legal insurance, SGK will not cancel the person's insurance and retirement, stating, "When we look at daily life, we know that many citizens show themselves as insured from a friend's workplace, or are shown as insured from a friend's or relative's workplace, even though they are not working. The insurance relationship in this situation has not occurred legally. No matter how much time passes, if there is no actual work, SGK cancels that insurance. If they have retired, of course, their retirement is also canceled," he said.
"RETIREMENTS OF THOSE WHO SHOW THEMSELVES AS INSURED FROM FAKE WORKPLACES ARE CANCELED"
Speaking about the insurance situations of individuals who are insured without actively working somewhere, Karakaş said, "This is so widespread that there are front companies related to it. In fact, there is a company established on paper. And this company deceives citizens. It says, 'I will show you as insured for a small fee' and shows the person as insured. These front companies are fake companies in terms of SGK, fake workplaces. Therefore, the insurance of those who show themselves as insured from fake workplaces is canceled, and their retirements are also canceled," he explained.
"IF SOCIAL SECURITY INSPECTORS DETERMINE THAT A WORKPLACE IS FAKE, THE INSURANCE OF THOSE WORKING THERE IS CANCELED"
Karakaş noted that SGK has transitioned to the 'Workplace Card System,' stating that every workplace has a card and the risks related to those workplaces are continuously analyzed with this system, and he added:
"In this sense, if the workplace is not a real workplace, but a fake workplace established on paper, regarding the insured shown from here, SGK, when we look at the service breakdown, the letters 'Ş', 'K' or 'S' are included in the service breakdown. Firstly, the letter 'Ş' is included, which means a suspicious workplace. So, the work and workplace here are suspicious. Then this is checked, the institution is classified as 'Controlled Workplace Status' (K), and finally, with the inspection of the latest inspectors, if social security inspectors determine that the workplace is a fake workplace (S), of course, the insurance worked at these front companies is canceled. In short, if you are working under a service contract as a real worker in a real workplace, there is nothing to fear. SGK will never cancel it. But if you have shown yourself as insured from somewhere without working, if there is fraudulent insurance, of course, SGK will cancel it."
"IF A BUSINESS OWNER SHOWS THEMSELVES AS INSURED, THEIR INSURANCE WILL BE CANCELED"
Karakaş shared that one of the situations leading to retirement cancellation is when the business owner or partners show themselves as insured, meaning 4/A insured, in their own companies, stating, "In this case, SGK cancels this insurance because it is shown from their own workplace at the time of retirement or after a long time, and thus this person automatically transitions to BAĞ-KUR. In this sense, the conditions related to retirement change. Even if the person has retired, it is possible for the retirement to be canceled."
"IF WORKING AT A SPOUSE'S WORKPLACE WITHOUT PAY, SGK MAY CANCEL RETIREMENT"
Karakaş also conveyed the potential insurance and retirement cancellation situations that may arise if a person's spouse is insured at their workplace, stating, "The law says that a spouse can be insured at their spouse's workplace. However, they can only be insured if they work like an employee. But if they are working for assistance purposes, they will not be insured. Therefore, it looks at whether there is a service contract relationship between spouses. If there is no service contract relationship, meaning there is no actual work and no working like an employee, cancellation is possible. In this sense, if a spouse works at their spouse's workplace receiving a salary just like an employee, they can be insured. But if they are working only for assistance without receiving a salary, SGK can cancel this as well," he stated.
"SGK CANCELS ORPHAN PENSIONS DUE TO FAKE DIVORCES"
Regarding the fraudulent divorces made to benefit from the retirement pension of a deceased father, Karakaş stated, "If a married woman makes a fictitious divorce to receive her father's pension, SGK cancels the orphan pension received by the spouse due to the fake divorce and can reclaim the pensions along with interest. There are also those who show themselves as insured from a workplace to receive unemployment benefits or to undergo expensive dental treatments. And pregnant women may have shown themselves as insured to receive maternity benefits or maternity sick pay. If there is no actual work here, this also falls under fraudulent insurance, and therefore SGK can cancel the insurances," he said.
"IN CASE OF FRAUDULENT INSURANCE, SGK DOES NOT REFUND THE PAID PREMIUMS AS INCOME"
Karakaş reminded that fraudulent insurance has serious consequences and is illegal, continuing his remarks as follows:
"If a front company or a fake company has been established without being a real company or workplace, solely to defraud SGK, to show as insured, this is a crime according to the Turkish Penal Code, and therefore the prosecutor's office will take action regarding this. The insurances of those who show themselves as insured from these fake workplaces are canceled. If they are retired, their retirements are also canceled, and SGK does not refund the premiums paid as income. If a retirement pension has been received, SGK will reclaim it along with late fees, penalties, and interest. Again, if health assistance has been received due to fraudulent insurance, if treatment has been received in a hospital or dental treatment has been received, SGK will reclaim all these benefits and health expenses along with interest.
If benefits for childbirth have been obtained through fraudulent insurance, whether it be maternity disability payments or breastfeeding allowances, all of these will be reclaimed. Similarly, if disability payments have been received for other illness events, the Social Security Institution (SGK) will reclaim them along with interest. If one has been unemployed and benefited from unemployment insurance assistance, the fraudulent insurance will reclaim these along with interest.