The alledged scam is currently being investigated by the PSNI in Northern Ireland, while in Turkey the criminal trial of Kevin O'Kane from Bellaghy along with his Turkish business partners Kubilay Atmaca and Hande Bakkal is currently underway.

All three are charged with serious fraud and issuing false deeds. O'Kane is not expected to attend the trial as he left Turkey in November 2007.

The Turkish police have issued a warrant for his extradition while Kevin O'Kane denies any wrong doing but blames his Turkish business partner.

The victims have now come together and formed the Turkish Villa Scam Action Group (TVSAG).

A spokesperson for the group told the MAIL: “We feel that there has been a need for all the victims to come together and fight for our money and fight for justice as a group.

“Being a victim of crime is a lonely place. Most of us are struggling to cope both financially and mentally with the devastation this has caused to our lives.

“The group is there to lend support and to come together to lobby government agencies and public bodies to ensure we get a fair and just trial with evidence from both jurisdictions."

The spokesman added: “We cannot afford for our case to be left gathering dust on a shelf. We ask everyone involved in the case both in Northern Ireland and Turkey to work together for the sake of the victims.

“Many of the victims are pensioners, some pensioners and this is their life savings at stake. Some are young families with young children who bought the property as a future investment.

“Some people are paying around £500 per month on a mortgage for a house they will never own and they need to keep paying this for the next 25 years. Some bought this as a their retirement home. All of our dreams are over.”

They added: “The impact has been devastating but we will not give up the fight to get our hard earned money back.”

Members of the group now plan to travel to London to discuss their case at the highest political levels, while some others are flying back to Turkey for the next Criminal Court hearing in early July.

They have also set up a petition to the British Prime Minister to help them open up legal channels between the UK and Turkey. The petition can be signed at www.petitions.pm.gov.uk/VillaScam.