Fraud: false letters from Raiffeisenbank

A letter from the bank in the mailbox probably makes very few people jump for joy. These days, letters from Raiffeisenbank in Eastern Switzerland will take you to the other end of the spectrum.

The letter itself seems deceptively true. The logo, the address, the layout – everything fits. However, a closer look reveals some discrepancies. For example, you are not named personally in the letter as usual with a regular letter from Raiffeisenbank. The usual visible bank and service center phone numbers are also missing.

However, a clear indication that this may be a scam can be found in the text itself, which reads, “This letter should be acted upon immediately to prevent premature blocking.” Such demands are not found in serious letters of banks. Fraudsters, on the other hand, like to use them to create pressure.

Raiffeisen confirms fake letters

Raiffeisen Switzerland’s media spokesperson Joël Grandchamp confirmed upon request that Raiffeisen was aware of the letters. For security reasons, he could not say whether these were sent only in St.Gallen or whether the fraud was taking place throughout Switzerland.

For the same reason, he did not respond to questions about what the bank was doing about the fake letters and whether people had already been affected. However, Grandchamp confirms that “there is currently no active campaign to reactivate the Photodon system”.

Customers who receive an unsolicited reactivation letter should ignore the letter. According to Grandchamp, those who have already responded to the requests in the letter should contact the Raiffeisen service center.

Not an isolated case

“It’s a big problem,” says Hanspeter Crusi, media spokesman for the St. Gallen cantonal police. The police had no idea about the current case through fake letters from Raiffeisen. However, fraud cases using comparable scams have recently increased.

According to Krusi, there is a trend emerging where fraudsters increasingly rely on letters and no longer rely solely on emails. Fraudsters don’t just pretend to be banks. They do not stop at any profession. Krusi cites some examples that have recently come into focus: Zwiga, spp., Twint, Miles & More, post. All these company names were used in scams. “There are new scams almost every day,” Krusi says, summarizing the problem.

Prevention is the most effective method

But what can you do if you fall for such scammers? In such a case, Krusi advises contacting the police. They can advise you and, if necessary, help protect data. A report can also be filed. “Reports of cybercrime are exploding,” Krusi says, without giving exact figures. Not just individuals but entire organizations are affected.

However, according to Krusi, there is not much hope in such cases. “Especially in the area of ​​cybercrime, clues often lead overseas. It is almost impossible to investigate the matter later,” he says.

Prevention is the best way to combat such scams. “You have to be very careful,” Krusi warns. If you have the slightest doubt while receiving emails or letters, you should contact the company. Be especially careful when changing passwords or bank details.