Foreigner Is Told to Transfer Money to “Protect” Their Bank Account in Turkey: Criminal Fraud Remedies (2026 Updated Guide)

A foreigner in Turkey is told by a fake police officer, prosecutor, bank employee or official to transfer money to “protect” a bank account. Learn the urgent criminal, banking and asset-recovery steps available in Turkey.

A foreign national in Turkey may receive a phone call, WhatsApp message, SMS or online communication claiming that their bank account has been compromised, connected to a criminal investigation or targeted by fraudsters. The caller may introduce themselves as a police officer, prosecutor, bank employee, government official or security specialist and instruct the victim to transfer money to a supposedly “safe” or “protected” account. In many cases, the transfer itself is the fraud. Once the money reaches the recipient account, it may rapidly be transferred through several bank accounts, converted into other assets or withdrawn in cash. A foreigner who has already transferred money should act immediately. Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office and Lawyer Fırat Fesih Kaya assist foreign victims in Turkey with criminal complaints, preservation of digital evidence, identification of recipient accounts, requests concerning criminal proceeds and recovery strategies.

Why Would a Fraudster Tell a Foreigner to Transfer Money?

Fraudsters frequently create urgency and fear. They may claim that the victim’s account has been hacked, that suspicious transfers have been detected, that the victim is connected to money laundering, that a criminal organization is using their identity or that authorities need the money transferred temporarily for verification.

The objective is to persuade the victim to make the transfer voluntarily before checking whether the story is genuine.

Police, Prosecutors or Banks Asking for a “Safe Account” Should Be Treated With Extreme Caution

A request to transfer personal savings to another account to “protect,” “verify,” “secure” or “investigate” the funds is a major fraud warning sign.

A foreigner receiving such instructions should independently verify the situation through legitimate channels rather than calling telephone numbers supplied by the person making the demand.

Why Are Foreign Nationals Particularly Vulnerable?

A foreigner may be unfamiliar with Turkish police procedures, banking practices or criminal terminology. Fraudsters can exploit this uncertainty by threatening arrest, deportation, freezing of residence status or criminal prosecution.

Language difficulties can also make sophisticated impersonation fraud more convincing.

What Should the Victim Do Before Transferring Any Money?

Do not transfer funds merely because the caller claims there is an emergency. End the communication and independently contact the relevant bank or competent authority through verified contact channels.

Do not rely on a telephone number, link or account information supplied by the caller.

What If the Money Has Already Been Transferred?

Speed becomes critical. The victim should immediately contact the sending bank, report suspected fraud and request appropriate action concerning the transaction.

At the same time, criminal-law remedies should be initiated without unnecessary delay.

Contact the Bank Immediately

Provide the transaction date, amount, recipient account, transaction reference and circumstances of the fraud.

Depending on the transaction status and banking circumstances, rapid notification may improve the possibility of preventing further movement of funds. Recovery, however, cannot be guaranteed.

Preserve the Bank Transfer Receipt

The transfer receipt is important evidence because it can identify the receiving account, amount, date, time and transaction reference.

Do not delete mobile-banking records after reporting the transaction.

File a Criminal Complaint Promptly

The victim may report the suspected fraud to the competent authorities. The complaint should explain how contact was established, what representations were made, how the victim was persuaded to transfer the money and where the funds were sent.

A detailed chronology can make the investigation considerably easier to understand.

Preserve WhatsApp and Messaging Evidence

Do not delete conversations with the suspected fraudster.

Preserve the complete conversation, telephone numbers, profile information, dates, times, voice messages, photographs, documents and links used during the scheme.

Screenshots Alone May Not Be Enough

Screenshots can be useful, but the original device and complete conversation may contain additional information relevant to authenticity and chronology.

The victim should preserve the underlying digital evidence rather than retaining only selected screenshots.

Preserve Call Records

Record the numbers used to contact the victim and preserve available call-history information.

If several telephone numbers were used, create a list showing which number was used at each stage.

Save Voice Messages

If the fraudster sent voice recordings, preserve the original files. Voice evidence may potentially assist the investigation together with other digital evidence.

Do not edit or convert the original files unnecessarily.

Preserve Emails and Fake Documents

Fraudsters may send false police documents, court papers, bank notices or identification cards to make the scheme appear legitimate.

Preserve the original electronic files and associated messages.

Do Not Continue Negotiating Without a Strategy

After discovering the fraud, victims sometimes tell the suspect that police have been contacted. This can cause the recipient accounts, telephone numbers or communication channels to disappear more quickly.

The next communication should therefore be considered strategically.

Recipient Bank Accounts Are Critical Evidence

The account receiving the victim’s money can provide an important investigative trail.

However, the person whose name appears on the account is not necessarily the principal organizer. Fraud networks may use third-party accounts or persons who allow others to use their banking facilities.

What If the Money Was Transferred Through Several Accounts?

The investigation may need to reconstruct the movement of funds from the first recipient account through subsequent transfers.

This is one reason immediate action is important: the longer the delay, the more complicated the financial trail may become.

Can the Recipient Bank Account Be Frozen?

Depending on the evidence and procedural conditions, measures concerning suspected criminal proceeds may potentially be considered by the competent authorities.

The precise measure depends on the facts and legal basis of the investigation.

Can the Victim Personally Freeze Another Person’s Bank Account?

Normally, a victim cannot simply order another person’s bank account frozen. Appropriate banking notifications and requests to competent criminal authorities should instead be pursued.

What If the Money Has Already Been Withdrawn?

Withdrawal does not necessarily end the criminal investigation. Investigators may examine account movements, withdrawal information, ATM records, branch transactions and other available evidence.

Recovery may nevertheless become more difficult once funds have left the banking system.

What If the Money Was Converted Into Cryptocurrency?

The investigation may require analysis of the transfer route, exchange accounts, wallet information and other digital records.

Preserve every cryptocurrency address, transaction identifier, exchange communication and screenshot available to the victim.

What If the Fraudster Pretended to Be a Police Officer?

Impersonating an official can be highly relevant to the criminal investigation. The victim should record the exact institution, title and name claimed by the suspect.

Any photograph of a supposed identification card should also be preserved.

What If the Fraudster Pretended to Be a Prosecutor?

Record the prosecutor’s alleged name, office, telephone number and any purported investigation number provided.

Do not assume that an official-looking document proves the caller’s identity.

What If the Fraudster Pretended to Be a Bank Employee?

Contact the actual bank independently and determine whether the purported employee or department exists.

Keep evidence showing exactly what the caller said about the bank account.

Fraud Through WhatsApp

WhatsApp fraud may involve copied profile photographs, foreign telephone numbers, fake business accounts or compromised accounts belonging to real individuals.

The telephone number and profile alone should not be treated as conclusive proof of the offender’s identity.

Caller ID Can Be Misleading

A displayed telephone number does not always establish who actually made the call.

The investigation should therefore rely on the complete evidentiary picture rather than a single displayed number.

Foreigners Should Request an Interpreter When Necessary

A foreign victim who cannot adequately communicate in Turkish should explain the language problem when interacting with authorities.

An accurate account of the fraud is particularly important where the scheme involved complicated banking instructions or impersonation.

Prepare a Written Chronology

Before making a detailed complaint, prepare a chronological account containing the first contact, representations made, threats or promises, transfer instructions, account details, amount transferred and subsequent communications.

This reduces the risk of important facts being omitted.

Identify Every Payment

If several payments were made, prepare a separate record for each transfer showing:

Date and time; amount and currency; sending bank; receiving bank; recipient account or IBAN; recipient name shown; transaction reference; and reason stated by the fraudster.

Do Not Send Additional Money to Recover the First Transfer

A common secondary fraud occurs when the victim is told that another payment is required to release, refund or recover the original money.

Do not make another payment merely because the fraudster promises repayment.

Beware of Fake Recovery Services

Victims may subsequently be contacted by people claiming they can recover stolen money for an advance fee.

The identity and legitimacy of anyone offering recovery assistance should be independently verified.

Can the Foreign Victim Recover the Money Through Criminal Proceedings?

Recovery may be possible depending on whether funds or assets can be identified, preserved and legally returned. The result depends heavily on the facts of the investigation and movement of the money.

A criminal complaint should therefore include both the fraud allegations and available financial evidence.

Is a Separate Compensation Claim Possible?

Depending on the circumstances, civil-law claims against responsible persons may also need to be evaluated.

Criminal investigation and private compensation remedies should be considered as related but legally distinct issues.

What If the Account Holder Says They Were Also Deceived?

This is common in cases involving accounts used by third parties. Criminal responsibility cannot be determined merely from the fact that money entered an account.

Investigators may examine knowledge, control of the account, subsequent transfers, withdrawals and communications with other suspects.

Can the Bank Be Held Responsible?

Bank liability is not automatic merely because a fraudulent transfer occurred.

Potential responsibility requires a separate examination of the transaction, security procedures, warnings, authorization, unusual activity and the specific conduct of the bank.

Foreign Victims Should Preserve Proof of Their Own Account Ownership

Keep account statements showing the source account and ownership of the transferred funds.

This can assist both the criminal investigation and any later recovery claim.

Source of Funds May Become Relevant

For substantial transfers, authorities may need to understand the origin and ownership of the money.

Preserve documents showing salary, savings, property sale proceeds, business income or other legitimate sources where relevant.

What If the Victim Borrowed Money Because of the Fraud?

Preserve loan agreements, bank records and communications explaining why the borrowing occurred.

These records may become relevant when documenting the financial consequences of the offense.

International Transfers Require Additional Coordination

If the money was transferred outside Turkey, the investigation may involve foreign financial institutions or international evidence requests.

Immediate identification of the destination country, bank and beneficiary is therefore particularly important.

What If the Foreigner Has Already Left Turkey?

Leaving Turkey does not necessarily prevent the victim from pursuing available legal remedies. Representation and procedural options should be evaluated according to the specific investigation.

Power of Attorney May Facilitate Representation

A foreign victim who cannot remain in Turkey may consider appointing Turkish legal counsel to follow relevant proceedings, subject to applicable procedural requirements.

How Long Can a Fraud Investigation Take?

There is no universal duration. The number of accounts, suspects, banks, digital records and international elements can substantially affect the investigation.

A complex financial-fraud network may require considerably more investigation than a single-account case.

What Evidence Is Most Important?

Bank transfer records, original messages, telephone numbers, voice recordings, fake documents, recipient account information, transaction references and a detailed chronology are particularly useful.

The evidence should be preserved in its original form wherever possible.

Mistakes Foreign Victims Should Avoid

The victim should avoid deleting conversations, transferring additional money, modifying original evidence, publicly accusing individuals without sufficient evidence, relying on unverified recovery services or waiting weeks before notifying the bank and competent authorities.

Immediate Action Checklist

A foreigner who transferred money to a supposed “safe account” should immediately stop further payments, contact the bank, preserve transaction records, save all digital communications, record every recipient account, prepare a chronology, report the suspected fraud and evaluate urgent measures aimed at tracing and preserving the transferred funds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Turkish police ask people to transfer savings to a safe account?

A demand to transfer personal funds to another account for supposed “protection” or “verification” should be treated as a serious fraud warning and independently verified.

What should I do if I already transferred the money?

Contact your bank immediately, preserve the transaction information and pursue the appropriate criminal complaint without unnecessary delay.

Can the receiving account be frozen?

Depending on the evidence and legal conditions, competent authorities may consider measures concerning suspected criminal proceeds.

Can I get my money back?

Potentially, but recovery depends on whether the funds or other assets can be traced and legally recovered. There is no automatic guarantee.

Should I delete the fraudster’s WhatsApp messages?

No. Preserve the complete conversation and original device evidence.

What if the fraudster claimed to be a police officer or prosecutor?

Include the claimed identity, title, telephone number and any documents sent in the criminal complaint.

What if the money was sent abroad?

International transfers can make recovery more complicated, but the foreign bank, beneficiary and transaction information should still be preserved and reported immediately.

Can a foreigner make a criminal complaint in Turkey?

Foreign nationality does not prevent a person who is the victim of an alleged crime in Turkey from pursuing the available criminal-law procedures.

Can I pursue compensation as well as criminal proceedings?

Depending on the circumstances, civil or other compensation remedies may also need to be evaluated separately.

What is the most important thing to do?

Act quickly. Stop additional transfers, notify the bank, preserve the complete digital and banking evidence and begin the appropriate criminal process before the funds are moved further through the financial system.

Client-Focused Legal Support for Foreign Victims of Banking and Impersonation Fraud in Turkey

Foreign victims of financial fraud in Turkey may need urgent assistance involving criminal complaints, bank-transfer tracing, digital evidence, recipient accounts, suspected criminal proceeds, impersonation of officials and asset-recovery strategies. Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office assists foreign nationals who have transferred money after being deceived by persons claiming to be police officers, prosecutors, bank employees or other officials. Lawyer Fırat Fesih Kaya provides legal assistance in organizing evidence, pursuing criminal procedures, following financial aspects of investigations and evaluating available recovery and compensation remedies.

Phone:
+90 312 434 22 22

Mobile:
+90 532 769 22 22

Email:
info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr

Address:
Mevlana Boulevard No:221, Yıldırım Tower, Office No:148, 06520 Balgat, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey