The Problem
You purchased products from a Turkish online store or a seller you met while touring, but the goods never arrived, were counterfeit, or were completely different from what was advertised. Perhaps a shop owner took your credit card details and charged you for items you never bought. Online shopping fraud targeting tourists is increasingly common, with sophisticated fake websites mimicking legitimate Turkish retailers. Many victims feel helpless because they believe Turkish consumer protection laws do not apply to them as foreigners.
How the Law Works in Turkey
Turkish consumer protection is governed by the Consumer Protection Law (Tüketici Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6502). This law applies to all consumers in Turkey, including foreign nationals. Under Article 48 of this law and the E-Commerce Law (Elektronik Ticaret Kanunu, Law No. 6563), online sellers must provide clear information about their identity, contact details, and return policies. You have a 14-day right of withdrawal (cayma hakkı) for online purchases under Article 48. Credit card fraud is prosecuted under TCK Article 245 (misuse of bank or credit cards) with penalties of 4-8 years imprisonment. The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) handles complaints about unauthorized card transactions.
What the Tourist Should Do
For non-delivered or counterfeit goods, file a complaint with the Consumer Arbitration Committee (Tüketici Hakem Heyeti) for purchases under a certain threshold, or the Consumer Court (Tüketici Mahkemesi) for larger amounts. For credit card fraud, immediately call your bank to block the card and dispute the charges. File a criminal complaint (suç duyurusu) at the Cyber Crimes Unit (Siber Suçlar Birimi) of the local police. Save all evidence: order confirmations, payment receipts, screenshots of the website, and all communication with the seller. If the seller has a physical store, take photos of the storefront and any receipts.
The Risks
Many tourists do not report online fraud because they assume it is too small an amount or too complicated from abroad. However, unreported fraud encourages more scams targeting visitors. If you provided your credit card details to a fraudulent website, the risk of ongoing unauthorized charges is significant. Counterfeit goods may be confiscated at your home country's customs, resulting in additional fines. Some scam sellers threaten tourists who demand refunds, which constitutes extortion under Turkish law. Sharing personal information with fake retailers puts you at risk of identity theft.
LetFix Solution
LetFix helps tourists pursue fraud claims against Turkish sellers through consumer courts and criminal complaints. We work with cyber crime units to track fraudulent sellers and recover your money through legal channels.
