Phishing

Typical warning signs

Be suspicious if:

• you are unexpectedly contacted by people claiming to be police officers, bank or TWINT staff, your card issuer or another genuine organisation;

• you are asked to disclose confidential information such as login details, account or e-banking contract numbers, passwords, PIN codes, SMS codes, card details or CVC/CVV numbers;

• you are requested to click on a link, open an attachment or scan a QR code;

• you are put under time pressure or asked to act immediately;

• you are addressed in an impersonal manner in a message, for example “Hello” or “Dear Customer”;

• the sender is unknown to you or does not match the content of the message.

Here’s how to protect yourself

• Never disclose confidential information or codes. Do not share your login details, online banking or card details, SMS codes or app authorisations – not even over the phone. Do not authorise any payments you have not initiated yourself.

• Only enter your login details and two-factor authentication codes via official channels such as your official TWINT or card app, or on the official e-banking website where you type in the URL yourself.

• Be wary of links, attachments and QR codes. Only open emails that you are expecting and the source of which you have verified.

• Don’t let yourself be put under pressure. If you are unsure, cancel the process and check the enquiry via an official channel.

• Check the identity of the person who has contacted you. Terminate any unexpected contact from people claiming to be police officers, bank staff, TWINT or card issuers, and call them back yourself using the official telephone number.

• Only scan TWINT QR codes using the TWINT app, not the standard camera app. In the case of physical QR codes, check whether the original QR code has been tampered with or covered up by a sticker or similar showing a new code.