21.10.2026 12:31
This year in Erzurum, 20 people were defrauded of approximately 1.5 million lira through fake links sent under the name "secure payment method" during shopping. Fraudsters especially direct people buying and selling vehicles to websites that imitate real payment systems; citizens who think they will receive money end up sending money from their own accounts. Cyber teams identified 72 suspects.
In Erzurum this year, 20 people were defrauded of approximately 1.5 million Turkish liras through fake links sent under the name "secure payment method" in various shopping transactions.
Scammers are directing people buying and selling vehicles to fake websites by telling them they can make payment via a link instead of a bank account.
Citizens who transact on these sites, which imitate real payment systems, can become victims by sending money from their own accounts while thinking they will receive money.
72 SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED
Teams from the Provincial Police Department's Cyber Crimes Combat Branch identified 72 suspects in in-depth work carried out based on reports received. The teams continue their work to compensate the losses of defrauded citizens and catch the suspects.
Office Chief Commissioner Yaşar Rüştü Rakıcı, assigned at the branch, told an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter that they work on a 24/7 basis to ensure peace and security in the cyber environment.
PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS IN FAKE LINKS
Rakıcı, noting that the issue frequently occurs in vehicle purchases and sales, said: "Scammers persuade our citizens by saying, 'I am making the sale; there is a payment method via a link rather than through an account. If you want, you can send the money here.'"
Warning citizens to be careful, Rakıcı spoke as follows:
"Fraud cases involving the secure payment method have increased; we see these in our province. (Scammers) tell our citizens that they will send money, but due to a few details overlooked when they provide information, they end up in the position of the sender and the defrauded person when they were supposed to receive money. We warn our citizens to be careful about this issue. Our citizens should check whether the links they receive are from a money sender or recipient and compare the websites with the real ones. This year, 20 of our citizens applied regarding the issue, and there is approximately 1.5 million liras of fraud. We warn our citizens in 'Siberay' and our other information activities."
DO NOT SEND MONEY WHILE THINKING YOU WILL RECEIVE MONEY
Mehmet Raşit Çavuşoğlu, Head of Legal Affairs at the Consumer Rights Advocacy Association, also explained that the names and logos of real secure payment systems are imitated.
Çavuşoğlu, stating that listing information, correspondence and receipts should be kept, recorded the following:
"A citizen, thinking that there is a corporate payment page in front of them, can perform the requested transactions without consulting anyone. In this way, our citizen falls into the trap. A page saying "secure payment," having the logo of a known institution, or looking professional is not assurance on its own. Our citizens should open the official application of the bank, authorized payment institution, or shopping platform themselves and verify the transaction. In case of suspicion, information should be obtained from the official communication channels of the relevant institution, and passwords and one-time verification codes should not be shared with third parties. Do not send money while thinking you will receive money. Make sure that what is said on the phone and the transaction you approve on the screen are the same; do not complete your payment without verifying the transaction through official channels."