Finma Warns of Phishing Surge
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (Finma) warns that phishing emails impersonating Finma employees are again being widely distributed. This warning was issued in a press release on Tuesday.
«Finma does not send such emails and does not contact private individuals as a matter of principle», is emphasised. The sender addresses should always be checked carefully.
Recipients of such emails are warned not to reply to the emails or follow the instructions they contain. «Do not click on any links contained in these emails.»
Contact Finma When in Doubt
If in doubt, you should contact the authority via the e-mail address
On a separate website, Finma refers to known practices of unauthorised financial market providers and investment fraudsters.
List of Victims
One particularly «nasty trick» is that fraudsters use lists with the names of defrauded investors circulating on the internet. These victims are then contacted in the name of Finma and promised compensation for financial losses.
«Unscrupulous financial actors exploit the hopes of the victims to get their money back,», the warning states. Here too, Finma is never involved in processes or offers that allegedly serve to make good financial losses.
Reference is also made to various other known fraud schemes, such as false debt restructuring companies, cloned Finma websites, the sale of worthless shares or tempting crypto offers.
Other Authorities Also Issue Warning
It's not only Finma being misused as a fake sender of fraudulent emails. The Federal Office for Cybersecurity (BACS) reports that cybercriminals are increasingly impersonating the Federal AVH Compensation Fund as well. These scammers aim to obtain victims' credit card details by promising a refund.
«The fraudsters can use this information to make fraudulent purchases in the victim's name or sell data on to third parties, among other things», it continues.
