Fraud FAQs

What is Fraud?

Fraud is any act with the objective of intentionally misleading another in order 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.

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. 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 is aware of fraudulent schemes, whereby unknown 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 with resettlement or other humanitarian visa or passport to assist your relocation to a third country or government issued identification documents. These fraudsters would normally approach you online and will present you with fake UN-like identity or other documents to persuade you that they are representatives of embassies or UN agencies. Eventually these fraudsters request you to pay some fees to “kickstart the process.”

 

In other fraudulent schemes, fraudsters pretend to be refugees or humanitarian workers in need of urgent assistance or in search of a meaningful romantic relationship. In such cases, the fraudsters would contact you through various social media sites or on online dating platforms.  After a while, they 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 to assist other needs.

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 schemes, soon after the application or the acceptance of the “offer”, the candidate receives a request for fees for “processing”, “training”, “visa” or other supposed expenses or for strictly personal data such as banking information.

In addition to the examples above, fraudsters may claim to obtain a government issued identification document for you in exchange for money. Please note that Provincial Directorates of Migration Management are the only authorized institutions that can issue these documents and you may seek information from UNHCR or its partners on how to get registered.

These offers may be made to you in person or via social media, including Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, Viber, Instagram, and Telegram among others.

If you receive any requests that resembles one of the above scenarios, 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.

How to complain about fraud?

  • Important points
    • UNHCR takes seriously all complaints and follows up on each individually.
    • If you have a UNHCR case, please note that filing a complaint will not in any way impact your case with UNHCR.
    • Complaints may be anonymous.
    • In your complaint, please provide facts and evidence known to you.
    • All communication with UNHCR is kept confidential!

I was told 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. If money or any other form of favours, 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 favours. These offers may be made to you in person or via social media, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram.

 

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 you already have a UNHCR case and have been approached by someone claiming they can help your case, please inform UNHCR immediately through any of the following paths:

  • 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.

How do I complain about UNHCR or its partner staff?

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

 

 

All communication with the IGO is kept confidential.

 

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 UNHCR.

 

Such complaints can be sent directly to UNHCR’s Inspector-General’s Office (IGO) at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland:

 

 

Alternatively, you can send your complaint to UNHCR Türkiye through the following paths:

 

  • 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 complaint will be treated with discretion and kept strictly confidential.

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. If money or any other form of favours, 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 favours. These offers may be made to you in person or via social media, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram.

 

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 you have been approached by someone claiming they can help your case in exchange of money, please inform UNHCR immediately through any of the following paths:

 

  • 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.

     

    Such complaints can also be sent directly to UNHCR’s Inspector-General’s Office (IGO) at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland:

     

     

    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.