A person you know asks for financial assistance and claims to be in need.
A person you know asks for help, claiming to be abroad and in financial difficulty. The bogus emails ask you to transfer money. In this type of attack, the fraudsters access the victim's email account with stolen login credentials and write directly to selected contacts from the email account in the victim's name.
Do not pay under any circumstances. If you receive an email request for money from someone you know, the NCSC recommends that you check the plausibility of the request and verify it using an alternative communication channel.
The fraudsters appear to have had access to the sender's email account. Inform the sender so that they can change the password immediately. If the emails were sent from your email account, change your password straight away.
The attackers send the fraudulent emails to all contacts in the hacked account. You can protect them from any damage if you warn them.
If you made a payment, immediately contact the financial institution through which you made the payment. They may still be able to stop it.
If you are interested in having your case investigated under criminal law, you can report the matter to your local cantonal police. They will then initiate the necessary investigations
Do not disclose your password to anyone. No one, not even an internet service provider, will ask you to change your password by email, telephone or text message. This is a case of phishing.
Choose a different password for each online service (email, e-banking, online shops, etc.).
Financial loss for the recipients
Compromised email account for the sender
Loss of confidential emails
You can find recommendations on how to regain control of a hacked account on the website of the National
Cybersecurity Centre: My account has been hacked – what next?
Last modification 20.12.2020
