Experts warn against real estate scams on social media

ISTANBUL

Istanbul, Türkiye. (AA photo)

In a major regulatory shift, Türkiye is now allowing certified real estate brokers to advertise listings on social media, sparking warnings from experts about persistent digital scams and lingering consumer vulnerabilities.

Under new guidelines issued by the Trade Ministry, licensed real estate firms can share property photos, videos, pricing and details on social media, provided each post links directly to an official “verified listing” authorized by property owners through the government’s e-Devlet portal.

Content posted online must strictly match the verified listing details. The ministry warned that non-compliant businesses face fines of up to 286,206 Turkish liras (about $6,000) per violation.

Consumer advocates caution that social media remains a high-risk environment for real estate fraud.

Industry representatives also pointed out significant loopholes in the electronic verification system, known locally as EİDS. Current regulations exempt properties without title deeds, foreign-owned real estate and listings held by cooperatives or associations from mandatory e-Gov authorization.

Mustafa Hakan Özelmacıklı, a real estate council member at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO), noted that scammers are actively exploiting these exemptions. On a single online platform, listings for properties advertised without title deeds surged from roughly 16,000 to over 21,000 within just three months.

“Social media cannot be considered completely safe under current conditions,” Özelmacıklı said, citing ongoing issues with unpermitted bungalow rentals and construction developments marketed without building permits.

“Bad-faith actors continue to enter listings under individual profiles while operating as uncredentialed brokers.”