Turkish Health Ministry warns against fraudulent mobile apps that offer financial aid

Turkey's Health Ministry warned citizens against fraudulent mobile applications and websites that pose as official systems. These applications offer citizens money and use variations of the ministry's name, Health Ministry Healthy Solutions account tweeted.

Duvar English

Turkey's Health Ministry warned citizens against fraudulent mobile applications and websites that pose as official systems and offer citizens financial aid.

"It has been revealed that citizens were lured into a con with a mobile application that poses as being an official Health Ministry service," tweeted the Health Ministry Health Solutions Twitter account May 21.

The ministry noted that the fraudulent application texts citizens with the promise of 1,498 Turkish Liras as financial aid.

"The Heath Ministry doesn't offer financial aid to citizens," the Healthy Solutions account added.

The Health Ministry urged citizens to disregard any communications they receive from variations of the Health Ministry's website URL or the name of the Turkish state's online services portal.

The "Hayat Eve Sığar" ("The Home Holds Life" in Turkish) application tracks users' locations.

Turkey's Health Ministry launched a mobile application in April to allow citizens to see the density of infected persons in their area. As the ministry's response to the pandemic has evolved, the application has taken on different functions.

Most recently, Health Minister Fahretin Koca said that citizens would need to obtain approval codes from the application for travel permits.

Turkey to track coronavirus patients via mobile phone application to enforce quarantinesTurkey to track coronavirus patients via mobile phone application to enforce quarantinesZeitgeist Turkey | Episode 8: How to protect what is left of our privacy in the pandemic eraZeitgeist Turkey | Episode 8: How to protect what is left of our privacy in the pandemic era