Someone you met through a messaging group directs you to an investment website. The balance displayed on the screen appears to grow, but when you try to withdraw, you are told to pay tax, commission or an account-verification fee first. A small initial withdrawal may even have been allowed to build trust.
In brief: A balance displayed on a website does not prove that real, withdrawable assets exist. Repeated demands for new payments as a condition of release are a common feature of fraudulent investment schemes. Instead of sending more money, preserve the payment trail and the communications.
Warning signs to assess together
Guaranteed returns, pressure to decide quickly, payments to personal bank accounts and payees that do not match the alleged company are significant warning signs. No single screenshot proves fraud, however. The website, contractual documents, communications and actual flow of money should be examined together.
The name, logo or licence image of a genuine company may have been copied. Verify regulatory status independently through the relevant authority’s official website rather than through a link sent by the person soliciting the investment. A genuine company record does not establish that the person contacting you represents that company.
When you are told to pay “tax” to release the funds
Ask what legal obligation is said to arise, who is demanding the payment and to which account or wallet it must be sent. Calling a transfer “tax” does not make it a payment to a public authority. Additional transfers to personal wallets or changing IBANs can increase the original loss.
Borrowing money or asking relatives for funds to recover an apparently profitable account can intensify the pressure. If a genuine public debt is alleged, verify it independently through official channels.
What to prepare for the first applications
- The full website URL, application name and dates of access.
- Telephone numbers, usernames and messaging-group details used.
- Complete conversations and any contracts or documents sent to you.
- Bank receipts, recipient IBANs and payment descriptions.
- For crypto transfers, the network, wallet address and transaction hash.
- Withdrawal requests, refusal messages and every demand for an additional payment.
Keep a separate record of the real amounts that left your bank account or wallet. A fictional profit displayed inside a website is not the same as money actually transferred from you. This distinction is important when calculating the loss.
Bank notification and criminal complaint
Notify the bank or payment service provider promptly and ask for the transaction to be investigated. A completed transfer cannot be assumed to be reversible merely on unilateral request. Investigation by competent authorities and any protective measures are separate processes.
A criminal complaint should identify not only the website but also the payment recipients and the people who directed the transfers. Do not guess identities that you cannot verify. A crypto address is technical evidence that may assist an investigation; it is not, by itself, the identity of the offender.
Recovery of funds
A criminal investigation focuses on identifying the offence and those responsible. Depending on the parties and circumstances, private-law claims for repayment or damages may also arise. The recipient of a payment, the operator of a website and the person who communicated with you may be different people.
Traceability of money does not guarantee that recoverable assets will be found. Early, organised preservation of evidence can nevertheless materially improve the quality of an application.
Frequently asked questions
I received a small payment at the beginning. Can the platform still be fraudulent?
Yes. An initial payout can be used to create confidence and encourage larger transfers.
Someone says they can recover the money. Should I trust them?
Treat unsolicited recovery offers with caution. Verify identity and authority independently and do not provide passwords, remote access or further crypto transfers.
I deleted some chats. Can I still make a complaint?
Yes. Preserve the bank, device and platform records that remain and explain honestly what is missing and how it was lost.
DISCUSS YOUR CASE
Discuss payments to a fraudulent crypto platform
We can review payment records, platform communications and demands for further payments 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
Capital Markets Board (SPK): Crypto-asset service providers
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
My Crypto Assets Were Stolen
I Cannot Withdraw Funds from a Crypto Exchange
Related practice area: Crypto Assets & Blockchain Law.