They collected donations by claiming to be ministry officials and obtaining identification information.

07.05.2025 17:21

In Avcılar, the suspects who entered the apartments knocked on doors, claiming they were conducting 'data tracking' and recorded the identity information of some residents on a tablet. The suspects also collected money under the guise of 'donations to a disability association' and issued fake receipts. The police are searching for the suspects everywhere.

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It has been revealed that the suspects, who entered buildings with fake letterheads and fake documents bearing the ministry logo, identifying themselves as officials of the Ministry of Interior in the Mustafa Kemalpaşa neighborhood of the Avcılar district of Istanbul, requested identities by claiming they were 'data tracking'.

THEY COLLECTED MONEY AND ISSUED FAKE RECEIPTS

After collecting the personal data of residents in the buildings they visited, it was determined that the suspects collected money from some individuals under the name 'Donation to the Disabled Association' and issued fake receipts. Residents who were suspicious of the actions of these individuals applied to the police and the neighborhood muhtar for information.

"THE MUHTAR WARNED THE RESIDENTS"

After obtaining information from the Avcılar District Police Department and the Avcılar District Governorship that the Ministry of Interior did not have such a project, neighborhood muhtar Zehra Er collected security camera footage and mobile phone images of the suspects in some buildings. Muhtar Er, who filed a complaint with the police along with the footage, also shared a warning message on the neighborhood's social media account. Following the complaint, police teams initiated work to capture the suspects.

"BY GETTING SIGNATURES, THEY CAN INDEBT CITIZENS AND CAUSE FINANCIAL AND MORAL LOSSES"

Reminding that the Ministry of Interior does not have the task of collecting personal data, and that 80% of Turkish citizens use new type identity cards, and therefore all identity data is held within the ministry, Forensic Computing Expert and Retired Police Officer İsa Altun stated, "Fraudsters can sometimes cause citizens to incur debts and lead to financial and moral losses by getting signatures with letterheads. If a citizen cannot obtain a new identity due to illness, old age, or certain disabilities, the officials of the population registry can take the person's fingerprint in a high-security environment by sending personnel. This is a situation that occurs at the request of the citizen. Therefore, it is beneficial to stay away from those who present themselves as police, population registry, or ministry officials and visit homes by knocking on doors to request biometric fingerprint data or other personal data under the guise of a survey or a project. In such cases, it is advisable to immediately call the police, gendarmerie, or 112 to prevent these individuals from conducting their activities," he said.

"LEGAL ACTION CANNOT BE INITIATED"

Mustafa Kemal Paşa Neighborhood Muhtar Zehra Er stated, "Our neighbors with security cameras in their apartments helped us in this matter. We also forwarded the security camera footage to the police for security reasons. They have started an investigation. The individuals who came claimed that a new budget was created through the ministry with the permission of the governorship and that they were collecting money for disabled and elderly people in this way, and they also stated that they would issue receipts with letterheads. Some of our neighbors paid amounts like 50, 500, or 200 lira and received their receipts. Others did not open the door because they did not believe it. Some of them can be seen in the footage looking through binoculars. Today, our police reached these individuals. The receipts they had were evaluated. There are records as a Disabled Association through the ministry. However, due to the lack of any footage regarding the allegation of irregularities in the identity and biometric reading part, no legal action could be initiated," she said.