What to Do If You’re Scammed When Buying Property?
Why Foreigners Are Vulnerable When Buying Real Estate in Turkey
Turkey remains one of the most attractive destinations for foreign home buyers — warm climate, relatively affordable prices, and the possibility of obtaining a residence permit or citizenship through investment. However, the growing demand inevitably attracts fraudsters. According to law firms, the number of real estate fraud cases rose noticeably in 2024–2025. Foreign buyers are particularly vulnerable: language barriers, poor knowledge of Turkish legislation, and the desire to save on professional vetting all play into the hands of criminals.
If you have already been defrauded — don’t panic, but don’t delay either. Below we take a detailed look at what steps to take immediately, where to turn for help, and how to recover your money through the courts.
The Most Common Fraud Schemes
To know how to act, you first need to determine exactly which type of fraud you have encountered. Here are the typical scenarios that Turkish lawyers and real estate companies warn about.
Double Sale of the Same Apartment
One of the most dangerous schemes: a fraudster sells the same property to two, sometimes even three, buyers simultaneously. Each one pays a deposit or the full price, and the winner is the one who first registers the ownership right at the land registry (Tapu Müdürlüğü). The others are left with neither money nor property. This is possible when the deal is concluded in a simple written form, without notarization and without immediate registration of the title transfer.
Fake Documents: TAPU and ISKAN
Fraudsters produce counterfeit title deeds (TAPU) and building occupancy permits (ISKAN — the technical passport). A forgery may look convincing, especially to someone seeing a Turkish TAPU for the first time. Without verifying the document through the official cadastral portal or with the help of a lawyer, a buyer risks paying money for a property that does not exist or legally belongs to a completely different person.
Fake Agencies and Unauthorized Intermediaries
Criminals create clone websites of well-known real estate agencies, rent offices for a short period, take advance payments from several clients, and disappear. Distinguishing such an agency from a genuine one is difficult: the website looks professional, managers speak Russian, but the license is missing and the documents are fake. You should only work with agencies registered with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and verify that registration.
Unfinished Projects and “Golden Mountains” on Installments
A buyer is offered an apartment in a building under construction on a long-term installment plan. After receiving full payment, the developer either goes bankrupt, freezes the construction, or sometimes simply vanishes. As a result, the victim is left with a contract that does not meet the mandatory requirements of Turkish law and no rights to the property at all.
First Steps: What to Do Immediately After Discovering Fraud
If you realize you have become a victim of fraud, time works against you. Here is the action plan recommended by Turkish criminal defense lawyers.
- Gather all evidence. Save correspondence (WhatsApp, Telegram, email), screenshots of listings, copies of contracts, money transfer receipts, photos of the property, and contact details of all persons involved. The more documents you have, the stronger your position.
- Contact a Turkish lawyer immediately. It is practically impossible for a foreigner to navigate the Turkish legal system on their own. A lawyer will assess the prospects of the case, qualify the offense under the Turkish Criminal Code, and prepare a complaint to the competent authorities. Important: the lawyer must be a licensed member of one of the Turkish bar associations (Baro).
- Verify the TAPU through the land registry. Even if you have already been handed the certificate, check its authenticity through the official Web Tapu portal or in person at the local land registry office (Tapu Müdürlüğü). This will help establish whether the ownership right is registered at all and in whose name.
- File a complaint with the police or the public prosecutor. In Turkey, a fraud complaint (dolandırıcılık) is filed either at a police station (Emniyet) or directly with the public prosecutor’s office (Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı). Filing through a lawyer significantly speeds up the process and increases the chances that the case will be pursued rather than dismissed as a “civil dispute.”
Where to Turn for Help: Authorities and Their Roles
Police (Emniyet Müdürlüğü)
Financial crime units accept fraud complaints. The police are obliged to register the report and forward the materials to the prosecutor’s office. However, without a lawyer, the investigation may drag on for months.
Public Prosecutor’s Office (Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı)
It is the prosecutor who decides whether to open a criminal case. Articles 157 and 158 of the Turkish Criminal Code (TCK) provide for liability for fraud: from 1 to 5 years of imprisonment for simple fraud, and from 3 to 10 years for aggravated fraud (committed by a group of persons, using forged documents, or against particularly vulnerable persons).
Civil Court (Asliye Hukuk Mahkemesi)
In parallel with criminal prosecution, you have the right to file a civil lawsuit for the return of the money paid and compensation for damages. Under Article 1007 of the Turkish Civil Code (TMK), if the loss resulted from an error or illegal actions of the land registry, the state treasury (Hazine) bears liability. This provides an additional guarantee of recovering funds if the fraudster has absconded or is insolvent.
Consulate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
The consulate of your country in Turkey can assist in communication with local authorities, recommend vetted lawyers, and help with document translation. However, it has no authority to interfere in judicial proceedings and cannot compel Turkish authorities to make a particular decision. The consulate is a support, not a substitute for a lawyer.
Recovering Your Money: Criminal and Civil Mechanisms
Turkish legislation provides the victim with two main avenues for recovering funds: criminal prosecution of the fraudster and a civil claim for damages. They do not exclude but complement each other.
Criminal route: after a case is opened under Articles 157–158 of the TCK, the court may order the accused to return the stolen funds — this is often a condition for a lighter sentence. If the fraudster wants to avoid a real prison term, they have an interest in returning the money as early as the investigation stage.
Civil route: a lawsuit is filed in the court of first instance at the location of the property. You can demand not only the return of the amount paid but also interest on the money, as well as compensation for moral damages and court costs. If you obtain a favorable court decision but the defendant refuses to pay, enforcement is carried out through the enforcement office (İcra Dairesi).
Mandatory mediation: since September 1, 2023, Turkey has mandatory pre-trial mediation for certain categories of property disputes. Before filing a lawsuit, the parties must attempt to resolve the conflict through a certified mediator. If mediation fails, the path to court is open.
How Not to Become a Victim: Prevention Is Better Than Cure
The best way to avoid problems is thorough due diligence at the stage of selecting and finalizing the deal. Here is the minimum checklist every foreign buyer should complete:
- Check the agency’s license. Make sure the company is listed in the TOBB registry and holds a valid real estate brokerage license. Ask to see the documents and cross-check the data with the official website of the Union of Chambers.
- Verify the TAPU online. Through the Web Tapu portal, you can request an up-to-date extract from the land registry. This will show the real owner, as well as any encumbrances and seizures on the property.
- Demand the ISKAN (technical passport). Without this document, the building is not considered officially commissioned, and you will not be able to connect utilities or register your address.
- Do not skimp on an independent lawyer. A lawyer unconnected to the seller or agency is your main insurance. Legal support for a transaction in Turkey costs on average 1–2% of the property price, and it is money well spent.
- Conduct the transaction through a notary and the land registry. Any agreements in simple written form concluded outside official channels carry enormous risk. The final transfer of ownership must be registered at the land registry with the issuance of a TAPU in your name.
Conclusion
Fraud when buying real estate in Turkey is not uncommon, and foreigners are indeed in a higher risk zone. But this does not mean you should abandon the purchase. It means you must approach the deal with a cool head: verify documents, engage a licensed lawyer, and do not trust oral promises. If fraud has already occurred — immediately gather evidence and contact a Turkish lawyer. Delay plays into the hands of fraudsters, while a well-constructed legal strategy gives a real chance to recover your money and bring the guilty to justice.
