Fraud FAQs

What is Fraud?

Fraud is any act with the objective of intentionally misleading another to obtain a benefit. Fraud involves but it not limited to hiding, falsifying, stealing, misreporting, or omitting facts. It is done to obtain a benefit.

UNHCR is aware of various types of fraudulent schemes, where fraudsters present   you with different offers in Exchange for money. These offers may be made to you in person or via social media, including Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, Viber, Instagram, and Telegram among others. In some instances, people who have no association to UNHCR, or the UN in general, present themselves as representatives or staff of UN Agencies or Embassies, and promise to assist you to access government issued identification documents, or help you with resettlement processing or access to other types of humanitarian visa or passport to assist your relocation to a third country. These fraudsters will present you with fake UN-like identity or other fake documents to persuade you that they are representatives of embassies or UN agencies. They will ask you to pay some money to “kickstart the process.”

Sometimes, fraudsters will pretend to be refugees or humanitarian workers in need of urgent medical or other emergency assistance or claim that they are searching for a meaningful romantic relationship leading to marriage.  After a while, the fraudsters will request you to pay some money for “visa fees”, or for “urgent relocation from the camp” or to assist them to process “travel documents” or pay for other legal services in facilitate their travel from Türkiye.

In other fraudulent schemes, fake job advertisements that look authentic are posted on widely used media, including job seeking websites and announcement boards of universities. In such fraudulent schemes, soon after the application or the acceptance of the “offer”, the candidate receives a request for payment of fees for “processing “training”, “visa” or other made-up expenses. Some fraudsters may also ask you to provide them with your personal data including your banking information.

In addition to the examples above, fraudsters may claim to be able to assist you to be registered with the PDMM, or to obtain government issued identification documents or temporary travel permits in exchange for money. Please note that Provincial Directorates of Migration Management are the only authorized institutions that can issue these documents.

If you receive any of the above requests, we advise you to stop communication with the people who wrote to you. Do not send them any money or any of your personal information. Please report the matter immediately to UNHCR.

Remember that all UNHCR and Partner services are provided free of charge. Do not trust anyone or any organization asking you to pay for the services of UNHCR or its partners. If money or any other form of favors, including of a sexual nature, is requested from you, you should report it to UNHCR and/or the nearest police station immediately.

Be aware that any UNHCR services offered to you in exchange for money are fraudulent. For genuine information about UNHCR Türkiye work and services, please consult UNHCR’s official websites and/or the Facebook page, which are listed below.

 

UNHCR Türkiye official websites

UNHCR Turkey Help website
UNHCR Turkey Results website
UNHCR Turkey general information website
Services Advisor

 

UNHCR Türkiye official social media accounts

Facebook:
UNHCR Türkiye Information Board
UNHCR Turkey (general information page)

Twitter:
@UNHCRTurkey

Related information

About UNHCR in Turkey
How to seek help
Social and financial assistance

I was told that if I paid money to someone, I would be resettled via UNHCR. Is this true?

All UNHCR services are free of charge. Do not trust anyone or any organization asking you to pay for the services of UNHCR or its partners. People who tell you such lies are seeking to take advantage of your situation. Avoid them at all costs. They may show you information to persuade you that they are connected to UNHCR. Do not believe them. Those persons are only after your money. Be alert and don’t get defrauded. Remember, UNHCR services are free of charge!

If money or any other form of favors, including of a sexual nature, is requested from you in exchange of resettlement promises, you should report it to UNHCR and/or the nearest police station immediately. Fraud is considered a crime under Turkish Law.

Be aware that any UNHCR services offered to you in exchange for money are fraudulent. For genuine information about UNHCR Türkiye’s work and services, please consult UNHCR’s official websites and/or the Facebook page. Report fraudsters who are offering you resettlement, financial or other kinds of assistance, fake documents or fake claims in exchange for money or other favors.

If you already have a UNHCR case and have been approached by someone claiming they can help your case, please inform UNHCR immediately.

  • You can email your complaint petition to UNHCR Türkiye at [email protected]
  • You can put your complaint in Complaint Box. Complaint Boxes are available at the gate of UNHCR Office in Sancak, Ankara.
  • You can put your complaint in a sealed envelope to a UNHCR partner’s office in your city of registration, to be delivered to UNHCR.
  • You can call UNHCR Türkiye Counselling Line: 444 48 68
  • You can submit your complaint in a sealed envelope to UNHCR’s offices or UNHCR’s partners offices in person.

Your concerns are taken seriously and will be treated confidentially. Your resettlement case will not be affected. If you do not want to use your name or case number, you can present your complaint anonymously.

Are all services provided by UNHCR and UNHCR partners free?

All UNHCR services are free of charge. Do not trust anyone or any organization asking you to pay for the services of UNHCR or its partners. These offers may be made to you in person or via social media, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Viber, and Telegram. If money or any other form of favors, including of a sexual nature, is requested from you in exchange of resettlement promises, you should report it to UNHCR and/or the nearest police station immediately. Fraud is considered a crime under Turkish Law.

Be aware that any UNHCR services offered to you in exchange for money are fraudulent. For genuine information about UNHCR Türkiye’s work and services, please consult UNHCR’s official websites and/or the Facebook page.

Report fraudsters who are offering you resettlement, financial or other kinds of assistance, fake documents, or fake claims in exchange for money or other favors.

If you have been approached by someone claiming they can help your case in exchange of money, please inform UNHCR immediately.

  • You can email your complaint petition to UNHCR Türkiye at [email protected]
  • You can put your complaint in Complaint Box. Complaint Boxes are available at the gate of UNHCR Office in Sancak, Ankara.
  • You can put your complaint in a sealed envelope to a UNHCR partner’s office in your city of registration, to be delivered to UNHCR.
  • You can call UNHCR Türkiye Counselling Line: 444 48 68
  • You can submit your complaint in a sealed envelope to UNHCR’s offices or UNHCR’s partners offices in person.

 

Your concerns are taken seriously and will be treated confidentially. If you do not want to use your name or case number, you can present your complaint anonymously.

How do I complain about UNHCR staff or Staff of UNHCR Partners?

If you have information about UNHCR staff, or staff of UNHCR partners that are involved in fraud, corruption and exploitation (including sexual exploitation or sexual abuse), report it immediately and directly to UNHCR’s Inspector-General’s Office (IGO) at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

in addition, if you have been verbally or physically abused by a staff member of UNHCR or staff of UNHCR’s partners, please report the incident immediately to the UNHCR Inspector-General’s Office (IGO) at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

 

All communication with the IGO is kept confidential.

 Important points.

  • UNHCR takes seriously all complaints and follows up on each individually.
  • Please note that filing a complaint will not in any way impact your case with UNHCR.
  • Complaints may be made anonymously.
  • In your complaint, please provide facts and evidence known to you (Who, What, When and Where).