They defrauded 1 million TL using the name of a lawyer in Izmir

A group of fraudsters called citizens from various parts of Türkiye using the name of Lawyer Ebru Bilgen working in Izmir. Fraudsters told citizens that they had a 'settlement file' and that if they did not pay within the day, a criminal case would be filed.

When the citizens asked, "How will we know that you are a lawyer?", the network members sent images of fake licenses with the name and surname of Lawyer Ebru Bilgen. Lawyer Bilgen; He said that fraudsters estimate that the victims who believe in this method gain unfair profits of approximately 1 million TL in a day, from some to 80 thousand TL and from others to 120 thousand TL.

Some citizens who did not fall into the trap but suspected the situation, found the contact information of the real law firm in their online research and called Ebru Bilgen. Bilgen, whose phones did not stop ringing throughout the day, realized that his professional identity was being used and a systematic fraud was being carried out. Bilgen warned the citizens who called him not to pay the suspects and filed a criminal complaint against the suspects.

Making a statement about the fraud incident she experienced, Lawyer Ebru Bilgen said, "The calls to our law firm from various provinces of Türkiye have increased significantly. Our citizens who contacted us stated that they were called using my name and surname, that there was a 'settlement file' about them, and that they were told that a criminal case would be filed if they did not pay within the day. As a result of our interviews with the victims and victim candidates, we determined that this was a systematic fraud attempt."

Explaining that fraudsters sent a fake lawyer's license to citizens upon the question "How will we know that you are a lawyer?", Ebru Bilgen said, "Although my name and surname are included in this document, the photo and bar registry number on it do not belong to me. A fake identity was created using my name. There are many victims who lost serious amounts such as 80 thousand TL and 120 thousand TL to fraudsters with this method. The total amount in the reports that reached our office alone reached millions in a single day." "It is reaching," he said.

Stating that not only he was victimized in this process, but also the trust in his profession was damaged by using the name of a lawyer, Bilgen said, "Our citizens need to be extremely careful in this regard. When you call under the name of a law firm and demand money, be sure to verify whether your interlocutor is really that lawyer. Sending you a lawyer's ID or license image does not mean that you are directly meeting with that person."

Underlining that citizens can confirm whether there is a file or investigation against them through official channels, Bilgen said:

"The contact information of the calling office should also be checked from the official records of the relevant bar association. It is out of the question for a real law firm to contact us via message and demand money in a hurry, saying "If you do not pay, your case will be opened today." I advise our citizens not to trust such statements."