New twist in fake university scandal: Victims made payments via credit card

H. Deniz YILMAZ - 12punto.com.tr

Allegations that the Novi Pazar University, which is stated to operate in Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro and claims to provide distance education, is fake, and that its rector Ali İlseven is only a high school graduate, have taken center stage.

STATEMENT FROM YÖK

The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) announced that they had filed a criminal complaint regarding the university in question one year ago.

VICTIMS' LAWYER SPOKE TO 12PUNTO

Lawyer Dilara Damla Öksüz, who filed a criminal complaint with the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse on behalf of the victims of the imaginary university, spoke to 12punto.

Öksüz stated that she has received calls from hundreds of people claiming to be victims since the investigation was launched.

VICTIMS MADE PAYMENTS VIA CREDIT CARD

Conveying the complaints of the victims, Lawyer Öksüz stated that applications to the university were made through a website and said the following:

“The individuals who introduce themselves as the rector run advertisements on Instagram. They have assistants. The company is already registered under Ali İlseven’s wife (Damla İlseven). They contact her and make payments via credit card and wire transfer/EFT. They say, ‘We will give you a diploma through online distance education without you ever having to come here.’”

“THEY ASK FOR EXTRA MONEY FOR AN EARLY DIPLOMA”

Stating that the victims paid between 2,000 and 4,000 euros, Lawyer Öksüz said, “There is extra money they ask for an early diploma.”

The lawyer, who mentioned that the imaginary university has psychology and law departments, pointed out that the university does not have a board of trustees.

STATEMENT FROM ALI İLSEVEN, THE FOCUS OF THE ALLEGATIONS

Rector Ali İlseven made a statement on his own social media account following the allegations against him.

Filming a video in front of a building labeled 'Novi Pazar Uni', İlseven said:

“They published news about me claiming I give out university diplomas for 4,000 euros. Please, let anyone who paid this come forward and I will refund 200 percent, even 1,000 percent. We have never sold a license for 4,000 euros in any way.

There were students from 27 countries in 8 fields studying here in person. But I do not accept in-person students from Turkey. A student who does not have a curriculum from YÖK can never come to me for in-person education.”

Reacting to the media outlets that reported the allegations against him, İlseven said he did not collect any tuition fees from anyone for a license.

WHAT HAPPENED?

It was alleged that the Novi Pazar University, which claims to provide distance education and has nearly 4,000 students, is fake, and that its rector, Ali İlseven, is a high school graduate. The victims had filed a criminal complaint at the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse through Lawyer Dilara Damla Öksüz.

The petition stated, “The fraud network is operated through fake university websites they have set up on the internet. Ali İlseven and Damla İlseven set up websites that imitate state institutions and universities, and provide fake diplomas to people who register. They create the perception that these diplomas have YÖK equivalence in Turkey and are valid in 168 countries. They are operating unlawfully by setting up websites that look like universities, which have no academics, no campus, no board of trustees, and no legal standing.”

Following these developments, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) announced that they had filed a criminal complaint regarding the university in question in 2023.

The following statements were included in YÖK's announcement:

“Our Council has made the list of recognized higher education institutions accessible in order to inform our citizens who wish to study abroad, and information on this subject can be obtained through e-Government inquiries or by applying directly to our Council. In addition, warning and informative statements for candidates who wish to study abroad are made on our Council's equivalence unit webpage before registration periods.

“CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST NOVI PAZAR UNIVERSITY IN 2023”

Apart from these notifications, our Council also files criminal complaints with the authorized authorities to prevent and punish the activities of individuals and institutions that encourage candidates to register through misleading or false statements and advertisements. As a matter of fact, a criminal report was filed with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office about a year ago, on August 17, 2023, regarding the abuses mentioned in the news today as 'Novi Pazar University'. Our Council meticulously makes the necessary notifications and warnings to ensure that our citizens are not victimized in these matters and exercises the necessary legal channels.”