Turkey raids visa appointment fraud syndicate using bot software

Turkish authorities have launched a major operation against an organized crime network accused of manipulating visa appointment systems. Following instructions from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, police and gendarmerie conducted simultaneous raids across eight provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Antalya, Balıkesir, Denizli, and Kocaeli.

Investigators allege that the group used automated bot software to instantly seize visa appointment slots as soon as they became available on consulate and official application center websites. This created a bottleneck that prevented individual citizens from booking appointments, allowing the syndicate to sell these slots on the black market for fees ranging from 300 to 400 euros per transaction.

A financial investigation conducted in coordination with the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) identified approximately 370 million Turkish Liras in suspicious transactions related to this specific wave of activity. The investigation has been expanded to include charges of qualified fraud, unlawful acquisition of personal data, cybercrime, and money laundering. Detention warrants have been issued for 60 suspects as part of the ongoing crackdown.