As a result of the surveillance and inspection activities carried out by the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (the Board), it is observed that through membership-based groups created on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and communication systems such as Whatsapp, Telegram etc., activities are still taking place aiming to manipulate and victimize investors by person(s) who do not have permission/authorization to engage in investment advisory and similar capital market activities, including persons against whom the Board has previously filed criminal complaints for many criminal acts (such as market fraud and abuse of confidence) and has imposed transaction bans.
 
In Article 107 of the Capital Markets Law No. 6362, titled; “Manipulation” the crimes of transaction-based market fraud and information-based market fraud have been regulated. Pursuant to the aforementioned regulations, 'those who make purchases and sales, place orders, cancel orders, change orders or carry out account activities with the purpose of creating a false or misleading impression on the prices of capital market instruments, their price changes, their supplies and demands' and 'those who provide false, wrong or misleading information, start rumors, give notices, make comments or prepare reports or disseminate them in order to affect the prices of capital market instruments, their values or the decisions of investors, thereby obtaining benefits’ are sentenced to imprisonment from 3 to 5 years and a judicial fine of up to five thousand days.
 
In the investigations carried out by the Board; 

• The individuals who direct the investors by establishing closed groups created on social media channels or communication systems, seek to obtain gains by selling the shares they own from the demand that they have created for shares within the group.
• Those who direct investors within the groups sell the shares held by them or their affiliates simultaneously with the "buy" recommendation given to investors.
• Thus, it has been observed that those who direct investors within the groups cause losses to the investors while gaining benefits by selling their shares at higher prices to the investors within the groups, and therefore it is important not to trust the people who engage in such activities.

• Suggestions and investment recommendations regarding shares made through social media and communication systems may have the purpose of serving fraudulent transactions carried out by a certain group.
• Individuals who direct investors through their posts on social media and communication systems may actually be trying to create demand/supply for their own share sales or purchases.
• Investors who are included in the groups may be held liable for participating in crimes committed by the people who direct these groups,
• It is deemed beneficial for investors who do not have sufficient knowledge and experience in directing their investments by evaluating market conditions, to make investment decisions with the help of professionals by making contracts with institutions that have been granted licence for investment advice and portfolio management in accordance with the regulations of the Board.

Reminding the above mentioned issues serves in the best interest for investors.
 
Announced to the public.