Istanbul authorities investigate major fraud and privacy scandals

Authorities in Istanbul are investigating several major criminal operations involving cybercrime, privacy violations, and fraud.

In Bakırköy, a beauty and epilation center is under investigation after police discovered approximately 14,000 secret video recordings of female clients. The recordings were allegedly being sold for profit on social media platforms, including Telegram and X. Police seized seven devices containing hidden camera setups and arrested the clinic owner and the individual who installed the camera system on charges of violating privacy, illegal data acquisition, and obscenity.

Separately, a large-scale cyber fraud scheme targeted Istanbulkart users by cloning the official Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality website. Scammers tricked at least 87 victims into believing they were paying small fees for card applications or renewals, while actually stealing thousands of Lira and Euros from their bank accounts.

Additionally, police conducted a major operation across six provinces, including Bursa and Istanbul, targeting investment fraud. Sixteen suspects were detained for using information systems to defraud citizens with promises of high returns, resulting in eight arrests.