Two foreign nationals in court over card fraud, data theft and illegal residency in North Cyprus

Lefkoşa – Two men accused of making fraudulent purchases using stolen credit card information obtained through fake advertisements on a messaging app, have once again appeared in court. 

The two men identified only as AB and ZB are facing serious charges including forgery of banking documents, unauthorized acquisition and use of personal data, and illegal residency in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

According to the police, the suspects connected online with an individual using the alias “Sülün Osman” via a messaging platform in 2024 and 2025. This individual allegedly created fraudulent banking advertisement pages. When unsuspecting users entered their details, the stolen credit card information was passed on to the suspects.

The pair then allegedly used these card details to purchase Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro smartphones through an online platform of a business based in Lefkoşa, with the total value of the illegal transactions reaching 187,848 TL. This led to charges of forging and circulating fake bank payment receipts, and unlawfully obtaining and using personal data.

Further investigations revealed that AB had been residing in the country without legal permission for over 542 days, since September 30, 2023. Both suspects were taken into custody and a criminal investigation was launched.

During a search of their residence, police seized two computers and two mobile phones as evidence. Police confirmed that the suspects had purchased 11 mobile phones using 11 different stolen credit cards, selling several of them prior to their arrest. Seven phones were seized shortly after the purchases were made.

The investigation is ongoing, with a formal request made to the TRNC Central Bank for detailed information about the credit card transactions. Preliminary digital forensic analysis conducted by the Police General Directorate’s Data Analysis Unit confirmed the presence of incriminating evidence on ZB’s mobile phone.

While AB was found to be legally residing in the country on a student visa, authorities confirmed that ZB had been living illegally.

Police stated that the suspects no longer pose a risk to the investigation and submitted separate requests to the court: pre-trial detention for AB and bail for ZB.

The judge ordered that AB be remanded in custody for a period not exceeding 75 days. As for ZB, the court imposed several bail conditions: a travel ban from leaving the TRNC, mandatory weekly police check-ins, two guarantors to sign bail bonds of 400,000 TL each, a cash bail of 65,000 TL.

The case highlights growing concerns around online fraud schemes and the misuse of personal data, especially through deceptive digital platforms that exploit unsuspecting users.