How to Report Cybercrime in Switzerland (and Get Your Money Back)

Quick answer: Call the Swiss police on 117 (or 112 for any emergency) and file a criminal complaint at your cantonal police. Report the incident online to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at report.ncsc.admin.ch, and forward phishing to antiphishing.ch. Call your bank now on its official number to freeze the account and try to recall the payment. Refund reality: money is sometimes recovered if you act within minutes and the transfer was unauthorised, but if you were tricked into authorising the payment yourself, a refund is rare.

What to do in 3 steps

1. Call your bank immediately. Use the number printed on your card or in your banking app. Ask them to block the card or account and attempt to recall or stop the payment. Speed is the single biggest factor in recovering money.
2. File a criminal complaint with the cantonal police. Call 117 or go to a police station to lodge a formal complaint (Strafanzeige). Some cantons accept online reports via cybercrimepolice.ch; for most offences you will need to contact a police station directly.
3. Report to the NCSC and antiphishing.ch. Submit the incident at report.ncsc.admin.ch for an automated assessment and next steps, and forward phishing emails or fake-site links to antiphishing.ch so they can be taken down.

How recovery actually works

Getting money back depends almost entirely on how fast the funds can be frozen. When you alert your bank within minutes, it may be able to recall the transfer or freeze it at the receiving bank before the criminals move it on. Once the money has been withdrawn or pushed through a chain of money-mule accounts, recovery becomes very difficult. Whether the bank reimburses you turns on its contractual terms and on whether the transaction was unauthorised or one you authorised under deception. The Swiss Banking Ombudsman can mediate free of charge, but only after you have complained to the bank in writing first, and it cannot issue binding orders. FINMA supervises banks but does not act as a debt-collection or compensation body for individual customers.

What to have ready

• The date, time and exact amount of each transaction, with currency.
• Recipient account details (IBAN, account name, bank) and any reference used.
• Screenshots of the messages, emails, websites or ads that led to the loss.
• Your bank's case or reference number from when you reported it.
• The police complaint reference and your NCSC report confirmation.
• Any phone numbers, email addresses, social media handles or crypto wallet addresses used by the fraudster.

Frequently asked questions

Will my Swiss bank refund me? There is no automatic EU-style refund right in Switzerland. For unauthorised transactions the bank's terms and Swiss law decide; for scams you authorised yourself, reimbursement is uncommon. Report to the bank in writing and escalate to the Swiss Banking Ombudsman if you disagree with the outcome.

Do I report to the police or to the NCSC? Both serve different purposes. The cantonal police (117) handle the criminal complaint and any investigation. The NCSC collects incident reports nationally and gives you guidance, but it does not prosecute or recover funds.

What can the Banking Ombudsman and FINMA do? The Swiss Banking Ombudsman offers free, neutral mediation once you have first complained to your bank, but it cannot force the bank to pay. FINMA supervises financial institutions and cannot resolve individual compensation claims.

Sources

• National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) reporting form
• antiphishing.ch (NCSC phishing reporting)
• Swiss Banking Ombudsman
• FINMA: problems with your bank
• ch.ch official portal: dangers over the internet

For step-by-step reporting and recovery guides covering other countries, see our cybercrime help hub.