Scams using the names of lawyers are increasing, and the number of victims is growing

When scams using the names of lawyers increased in recent times in Turkey, Adana Bar Association President Lawyer Semih Gökayaz said, ‘Being a lawyer is an honorable and sacred profession. No lawyer calls their clients to demand a lawsuit. If you encounter such a situation, apply to the bar associations.’ Especially in recent times, in telephone scams where citizens are most victimized, the names and professions of lawyers are being abused. Scammers pretending to be lawyers use the real lawyer’s name, registration number, and email address to demand money from people to close files.
While fraud incidents occur, some lawyers call citizens after traffic accidents and claim that they can intervene in the lawsuit and demand a lawsuit. Adana Bar Association President Lawyer Semih Gökayaz made statements to Ihlas News Agency regarding the issue. Gökayaz stated, ‘We are living in the communication age, and the most used method by scammers is communication channels, phones, and emails. Unfortunately, in recent times, we also receive information that individuals involved in accidents are being contacted by lawyers. However, the profession of law is a profession of trust. The legal profession is an honorable and sacred profession. Committing such an act is a crime according to our legislation.’
‘Lawyers, police, healthcare workers, and judicial personnel are involved in the incident’ Adana Bar Association President Lawyer Semih Gökayaz noted that some police officers, healthcare workers, judicial personnel, and lawyers are working illegally with damage consulting firms. Gökayaz emphasized the activities of these firms. ‘They obtain information from security sources after accidents and transmit them to lawyers in an illegal manner. This is a crime. We visited our Minister of Internal Affairs Ali Yerlikaya with Turkey Bar Associations President Erinç Sağkan and all our bar presidents. We requested a study on these activities to be carried out within the scope of organized crime. Because in this activity, there are police officers, healthcare workers, judicial personnel, and lawyers. Therefore, we requested a more organized effort to eliminate and end this illegal activity.’
‘Victims should apply to the bar associations’ Gökayaz, stating that no lawyer can call clients and demand a lawsuit, warned the citizens, ‘Since the legal profession is a profession of trust, I would like to warn our citizens that a power of attorney relationship should be established by personally knowing the lawyer or by investigating from their surroundings. The statement ‘come, we will cover the notary expenses, we will not involve you in trial expenses, you just get the power of attorney, we will take care of the rest’ over the phone is a trap set for the citizen. Crimes of fraud are being committed using the names of lawyers. My request to citizens here is to apply to our bar association regarding the existence, absence, or involvement of such a lawyer in such activities. No lawyer picks up the phone and asks for work from citizens. This is contrary to the ethics of our profession. It is against the honor of our profession.’