Mind-boggling fraud scheme using Digiturk and Türk Telekom names exposed

Unfortunately, a new fraud method is added to the list almost every day. Scammers, who constantly set their sights on users' wallets with new methods, sometimes continue these scams by using the name of a company.

Regrettably, many citizens in our country are being defrauded through internet and telephone subscriptions. Our topic today is another fraud method established through internet subscriptions. Let's learn together how hundreds of citizens have been defrauded.

You are sitting at home, calmly sipping your tea, when your phone rings and you find yourself talking to someone who claims to be calling from Türk Telekom customer service. This so-called customer representative tells you that your home internet contract is about to expire and that you need to renew your package. It starts with a “customer representative” from Türk Telekom calling you.

Of course, since you constantly read news about fraud, you think this might be a scam, but the representative on the other end proves they are a representative by reading your billing information in full. Later, they tell you that they have a promotional package that includes a Digiturk membership in addition to home internet. The amount requested for this dual package is a ridiculous figure ranging between 110 TL and 130 TL. Believing the representative is not a scammer, you accept the offer, and the representative hangs up the phone, saying you will be called by Digiturk.

AT THIS POINT, DIGITURK ALSO GETS INVOLVED

A few minutes after hanging up, you are called by a Digiturk customer representative. After you answer the phone and start talking, you receive a confirmation SMS from Digiturk, and you become convinced that Digiturk is not a scammer either. A few days after you confirm this new subscription, the Digiturk technical service comes to your home and performs the installation. However, things start to get complicated from this point on.

While you are enjoying your internet subscription along with your Digiturk subscription, you receive two bills at the end of the month. One is for your old Türk Telekom home internet subscription, and the other is for your new Digiturk subscription, and these two bills add up to a total of 250-300 TL. As soon as you see the bills, you first call Türk Telekom customer service, and the official on the other end of the line says they have no such campaign. Similarly, the Digiturk official you call also says they have no such campaign. When you want to cancel your subscription, you are asked to pay a cancellation fee and a usage fee.

This is exactly how you end up being defrauded, even if only for a month, and are forced to pay both a high bill and a cancellation fee.

SO, HOW DOES THIS FRAUD RING WORK?

At this point, neither institution takes responsibility for the fraud, claiming that the records made have nothing to do with them. However, the fact that both customer service representatives who call you have detailed information about you and start your subscription immediately after sending an SMS to your phone is proof that this fraud operation is not carried out by ordinary scammers.

According to the claims of victims on social media, those who carry out this fraud are intermediary firms working in customer service centers on behalf of Digiturk and Türk Telekom. Since employees of these firms receive extra premiums per subscription, they trick users with this method to ensure they subscribe to Digiturk.

OTHER COMPANIES' NAMES ARE ALSO USED BESIDES TÜRK TELEKOM

Some users who have made similar complaints on social media claim that they were called by Türk Telekom, some by Türknet, and others by Vodafone. However, in all complaints, the company for which the subscription is made is mentioned as Digiturk. This strengthens the claim that employees at Digiturk's intermediary firms are carrying out this fraud.

THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET

FRAUD INCIDENT IN VAN

A defrauded citizen summarizes the issue as follows: “I was called by Türk Telekom 1 month ago. My contract was renewed, and they said that if I became a member of Digiturk, which they claimed was a partner for taxes and discounts, I would pay a total of 230 TL, with 180 TL plus 50 TL for internet added to my bill.

I received my first bill; both bills from Türk Telekom and Digiturk were reflected as 400 TL. I called the call center that claimed to be Türk Telekom for two days and could not reach them. I am sharing their number with you as well: 0212 907 06 0*. I called Türk Telekom; they say we don't have such a campaign. Local Digiturk representatives say it is true, hundreds of people come to us every day with this fraud. And they complain that they cannot provide answers to any of them.

I called Digiturk; they said that because you responded to the message sent to you, you have accepted the contract, and if you pay us a cancellation fee of 1,000 TL, we will cancel Digiturk. Hundreds of people in Van were defrauded in this way.

Digiturk was purchased by the Qatari 'beIN Media' in 2015. Most recently, 12punto.com.tr author Doğan Satmış addressed this fraud incident, criticizing it by saying, "Even if you buy a refrigerator online, you can return it if you don't like it, but it seems this rule does not bind the Qataris' Digiturk."

SO, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU FACE SUCH A SITUATION?

Lawyer Resul Göksoy, a member of the Executive Board of the Informatics Commission of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, states that if you experience a similar situation, you can request information from the intermediary firms by applying to Digiturk and Türk Telekom in writing or online, and then you can obtain information under the scope of the Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK) and file a complaint within 30 days.

Additionally, in such situations, calling the official customer service of the company that called you before approving the offer to ask whether such a campaign exists can prevent you from being defrauded in similar ways.