93,000 TL loan taken out from retired man's account! He denied the accusations

A 93,000 TL loan was taken out on December 14, 2022, from a bank account that Mehmet Özen (59), who retired from the factory where he worked about three years ago, had not used for years. Noticing the loan the next day, Özen immediately called the bank but could not get an answer. Upon this, Özen went to the prosecutor's office and filed a criminal complaint. The Kocaeli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Cyber Crimes Investigation Bureau launched an investigation. Within the scope of the file, correspondence was conducted with the relevant banks, and the owners of the accounts to which the loan amount was transferred in parts were identified. By learning which service provider was used for the online loan application, suspects named A.K., G.T., and K.O. were identified. Regarding the incident, A.K. and G.T. were detained and their statements were taken. While the suspects were released after their statements, an arrest warrant was issued for K.O.

THEY FIRST TOOK OUT THE LOAN AND THEN SENT IT TO THEIR OWN ACCOUNTS IN PARTS

In the indictment prepared regarding the incident, it was stated that a loan of 93,000 TL was taken out from an account where Mehmet Özen had not performed any transactions for a long time, that the majority of the money withdrawn was sent to accounts registered in the name of A.K. through 4 separate transactions, and 1,000 TL was sent to accounts registered in the name of K.O., and that investigation procedures were initiated upon Mehmet Özen's complaint when he noticed the situation.

PROSECUTOR'S INVESTIGATION BUREAU TRACKED THE TRAIL

It was determined that suspect A.K. sent 8,300 liras that passed into his account to another bank account, 67,700 liras were withdrawn from the counter at the Istanbul Bayrampaşa branch, and an information message was sent to the account holder after the transaction, that the money coming to defendant K.O.'s account was also withdrawn from an ATM, and that the communication number linked to the IP address belonged to G.T.

"ISTANBUL IS A CROWDED PLACE, PERHAPS I MIGHT HAVE WITHDRAWN THIS MONEY AT THE REQUEST OF SOMEONE I DID NOT KNOW"

In his statement taken at the prosecutor's office, defendant A.K. did not accept the accusations and said, "My bank accounts were blocked for 1 year at that time. I don't know where my cards are. I thought my accounts might have fallen into someone else's hands. When I was called to give a statement, I looked for my cards at home but couldn't find them. I remember withdrawing money from a bank in Istanbul, but I don't remember the amount. Istanbul is a crowded place, perhaps I might have withdrawn this money at the request of someone I did not know. I do not accept the accusation against me."

"A LOAN WORTH 93,000 TL WAS TAKEN OUT FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE AND CONSENT"

The first hearing of the case filed for the crime of "theft by using information systems" began at the 8th Criminal Court of First Instance. Victim Mehmet Özen and non-detained defendant G.T. attended the hearing. The other defendants did not attend the hearing. Mehmet Özen, who is a complainant against the defendants, said, "A loan worth 93,000 TL was taken out from my bank account, which I used in previous years but have not used for a long time, without my knowledge and consent. Including expenses, a repayment of around 100,000 TL was created. I am a victim due to the incident and I am complaining about the defendants."

G.T., on the other hand, did not accept the accusations. The court board adjourned the hearing to take the statements of the other defendants and to complete the deficiencies.

"ALTHOUGH I CALLED THE BANK'S HEADQUARTERS MANY TIMES, I COULD NOT REACH THEM"

Making statements after the hearing, Mehmet Özen noted, "I retired at the beginning of 2021. A loan was taken out on December 14, 2022, from my bank account that I used while working before but do not use now. I noticed the situation a day later. After the incident, although I called the bank's headquarters many times, I could not reach them. Afterwards, I called the courthouse. When I called, they told me that I should come and object. Later, on December 15, I came to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and filed a criminal complaint. In December 2022, my salary was 3,500 liras. However, a loan of 93,400 liras was given in my name from a bank where I do not receive my salary. The monthly payment amount is almost 3 times my salary. The owner of the number used for hacking said in the hearing that the number in his name was not his, that his signature was forged, that it was done by the phone company he used to work for, and that he was also a victim."