Friends and relatives begin contacting you about urgent messages apparently sent from your account asking for money. You can no longer access the account. Recovering control is important, but so are preventing further victims and preserving a reliable timeline of the incident.
In brief: Use the platform’s official recovery process, warn contacts through a separate trusted channel and preserve evidence at the same time. The fact that an account belongs to you does not automatically make you responsible for everything an intruder does through it.
Is the real account compromised, or is there an impersonation account?
A takeover of your existing account and the creation of a new account using your name and photograph are different situations. Compare the username, profile URL and whether earlier message history remains present. The fact that a telephone number appears on screen does not by itself prove that you sent the messages.
A compromised account may have had its email address changed or additional sessions added. With an impersonation account, the appropriate platform route may be an impersonation report rather than account recovery. Use official help pages; avoid advertisements for supposed “account unlocking” services.
How should contacts be warned?
Use another trusted channel to state clearly that the account is no longer under your control. Ask contacts not to send money and to verify any payment request by calling you through a known number. Do not publish unnecessary personal information or other victims’ bank receipts when issuing the warning.
Anyone who has already paid should notify their own bank promptly and preserve the messages they received. Recovering your account does not automatically resolve their claim for repayment; each payment record is relevant in its own right.
Evidence to preserve
- The profile URL, username and visible changes to the account.
- The time you lost access and any security emails or notifications.
- The complete sequence of messages requesting money.
- Any IBAN, recipient name, wallet address or payment link provided.
- Payment records held by contacts who transferred money.
- Platform report and support reference numbers.
The recipient’s copy of the messages may contain details that are no longer available to you. Records should nevertheless be shared lawfully and originals preserved. Do not attempt to obtain evidence by accessing another person’s account without permission.
Does account recovery replace a criminal complaint?
No. Unauthorised access, requesting money in your name and using personal data may raise separate legal issues. Even after the account is recovered, a payment may already have been made or the conduct may continue through other accounts.
In any application, distinguish what you directly know from what others have reported to you. Identify who paid, when payment was made, which recipient account was used and when your account left your control. Preservation of platform logs may also be requested.
How is the account owner’s position assessed?
Ownership of the account does not prove that every message was personally sent by the owner. However, investigators may examine who had access credentials, when you learned of the incident and what steps followed. If an allegation is directed against you, security notifications and a reliable chronology can be important.
Any private-law claim for loss is a separate issue. The offender’s identity, the platform’s role and the conduct of the parties can raise different questions; no general guarantee of liability or immunity is appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Should I delete the account completely?
Preserve relevant records and follow official security steps first. Deletion can make access to useful evidence more difficult.
Can I give a verification code to someone who says they are support?
Do not share codes outside the platform’s official workflow. A person requesting a code through a message or call may be attempting to take control again.
If nobody sent money, is a report unnecessary?
No. Unauthorised access and related conduct can still have legal significance even where no payment was completed.
DISCUSS YOUR CASE
Discuss a compromised social media account
We can review account access records, fraudulent messages and reports already made to assess your options under Turkish law.
A brief summary and important dates are enough for an initial enquiry. Send documents only when requested by our lawyers, through the channel they specify. Do not share passwords, one-time codes or wallet keys.
Sources and legislation
Turkish Criminal Code No. 5237
Code of Criminal Procedure No. 5271
Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098
Originally prepared on 8 September 2026. This article provides general information on Turkish law. Remedies and deadlines should be assessed against the documents and circumstances of each case. The image is illustrative.
Related reading
Unauthorised Mobile-Banking Transfers
Blackmail with Intimate Images
Related practice area: IT & Technology Law.