Scammers posed as judges to steal 4 million lira in gold using fake job ads for couriers

A complex fraud operation in Turkey has been dismantled, leading to the arrest of eight suspects and the recovery of approximately 4 million lira in gold. The scammers employed a deceptive tactic, impersonating judicial officials to trick a victim into handing over their valuables.

The victim, identified as H.K. from Cankurtaran Mahallesi, was contacted by a fraudster posing as a judge and prosecutor. The scammer falsely claimed that H.K.'s gold was linked to a terrorist organization and instructed the victim to give it to a courier who would supposedly deliver it for examination, promising its eventual return. In a state of panic, H.K. complied, handing over the gold to the arriving courier.

Upon realizing they had been defrauded, H.K. reported the incident to the gendarmerie. The Denizli Provincial Gendarmerie Command's Gendarmerie Crime Investigation Team (JASAT), along with Pamukkale District Gendarmerie Command, launched a four-month technical and physical surveillance operation. This investigation culminated in simultaneous raids on July 29 across five provinces: Denizli, Şanlıurfa, Istanbul, Kocaeli, and Mersin.

During the operation, eight suspects were apprehended. Following legal proceedings, six were remanded in custody on charges of "qualified fraud," while the remaining two were released under judicial control. JASAT's investigation also revealed the scammers' method for recruiting couriers: they found individuals through online advertisements for "high daily wage jobs." The perpetrators would then provide these couriers with fake judge and prosecutor identification to carry out the fraudulent exchanges.

Authorities are urging the public to exercise extreme caution and to never trust individuals who claim to be public officials demanding money or valuables. They strongly advise anyone encountering such situations to immediately contact the 112 Emergency Call Center to report the incident to the security forces.