In French-speaking Switzerland alone, criminal networks pretending to be police officers have defrauded more than 5,000 victims of around 18 million francs in the past four years.
To combat this fraudulent activity, police forces in Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud, and Valais have joined the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) specifically for this purpose.
How the scam works
According to the joint press release issued by the six cantons, the perpetrators rely on so-called couriers to collect cash and valuables from their victims. These are mostly young adults recruited primarily from France.
“The modus operandi is well-established: a criminal mastermind contacts elderly people living in French-speaking Switzerland by telephone, impersonating a police officer. Under the pretext of fraudulent activity on the bank account and with the supposed aim of helping the victim, this mastermind sends an accomplice to person’s home,” it says.
“Claiming the need to carry out checks, this accomplice demands the bank card, cash, or jewelry, which are then taken before disappearing. The scam relies heavily on the psychological pressure exerted on the victims, who are placed in a climate of urgency and fear to prevent any reflection or verification.”
What to do (and not do) if you get a suspicious ‘police’ call
Swiss police say they never contact people by phone to inform them of fraudulent activity in their bank accounts, or send couriers to anyone’s home.
If this happens to you:
- Hang up immediately if someone pressures you on the phone.
- Never give cash, bank cards, or jewelry to strangers, even if they claim to be police officers.
- Do not let any strangers into your home.
- Never share your passwords or bank details with anyone.
- If you have any doubts or suspicions, call the national police emergency number, 117
Police cantonale, Vaud
But people visited by these fake police officers are not the only victims of this scam.
The couriers themselves are also victims.
“They are recruited via social media with the promise of quick and easy money. However, behind these enticing offers lies a far less attractive reality”, police authorities write.
“The couriers are interchangeable executors who are paid significantly less than promised. Furthermore, they are required to disclose personal data to the masterminds. They are frequently subjected to threats or violence. In some cases, the masterminds even report them to the police themselves if the expected results are not achieved.”
Other scams abound
This is by far not the only fraud circulating in Switzerland.
The most common ones include fraudulent job offers published on the fake websites of supposed Swiss companies, rental scams, and a number of others:
READ MORE: How to avoid the most common online scams in Switzerland
