Istanbul police have detained 10 suspects in a large-scale operation after uncovering a transnational scam targeting German citizens. The suspects, posing as police officers and prosecutors, defrauded 46 elderly German nationals out of nearly TL122 million ($3.8 million).
Authorities say the suspects, who spoke fluent German, contacted their victims by phone, claiming to be law enforcement officials investigating criminal organizations. By invoking fear and urgency, the scammers convinced their victims to hand over large sums of money, alleging that their finances were at risk due to supposed connections to criminal activities.
The operation, conducted in coordination with German judicial authorities, was launched after German police identified links between the scam and individuals based in Türkiye. Once the network was traced, simultaneous raids were carried out at multiple addresses in Istanbul, resulting in the arrest of 10 suspects and the seizure of large amounts of foreign currency.
Among the detainees is a known member of the Hells Angels criminal organization who had been wanted by Interpol with a Red Notice. This individual is also a suspect in the 2014 murder of Tahir Özbek in Berlin.
Police revealed that the group replicated a method commonly used in domestic phone scams within Türkiye but applied it to foreign victims. The suspects deliberately targeted elderly individuals, using intimidation and false authority to gain trust and extract money.
The suspects are currently being interrogated by Turkish authorities. Investigations are ongoing, with further collaboration expected between Turkish and German law enforcement to uncover the full extent of the operation and pursue any remaining individuals involved.
