Elderly woman in Türkiye loses nearly $20K in ‘son in trouble’ scam

An 84-year-old woman in Istanbul handed over nearly $20,000 worth of gold jewelry to a scammer after mistaking a stranger’s voice for her son’s during a phone call. The elderly victim was targeted in a classic “your son is in trouble” scheme, resulting in a heartbreaking loss.

Scam unfolded over a single phone call

According to Hurriyet, on April 2, the woman, identified by initials N.T., received a call on her landline at her residence in the Fatih district of Istanbul. The caller, pretending to be her son, claimed he urgently needed money and was sending a friend to collect whatever valuables she could spare.

Moments later, a man showed up at her door and collected all the gold and money she had at home. It was only after speaking to her real son that the woman realized she had been deceived.

Surveillance footage leads to arrests

Upon reporting the incident, police launched an investigation and reviewed security footage in the area. The suspect who collected the items was identified as 29-year-old Dilerbek M., a Kyrgyz national with three prior fraud charges and an outstanding arrest warrant.

Authorities also tracked down 46-year-old Mustafa D., who allegedly assisted in the scheme. Police records revealed he had a staggering 45 prior fraud offenses and seven additional charges for other crimes.

Swift action from law enforcement

On April 3, Istanbul police units conducted coordinated operations in Pendik and Umraniye, arresting both suspects. After initial processing at the police station, the men were transferred to court. On April 4, a judge ordered their detention pending trial.