Be careful when buying the e-motorway vignette
When renewing your highway vignette, you can choose between an adhesive vignette and an e-vignette. However, particular care must be taken when purchasing the latter, as fraudsters are after the credit card details of unsuspecting buyers.
An annual charge must be paid for the use of Swiss freeways and roads, which is levied in the form of a vignette. Since August 2023, those subject to the charge can also purchase this digitally as an e-vignette.
Cyber criminals take advantage of this by creating fake websites to obtain sensitive data or money from unsuspecting shoppers.
When searching online for the term "Autobahnvignette", it can happen that Google or another search engine does not display regular search results in the first place, but advertisements (Google Ads). These ads may come from unofficial and significantly more expensive providers. In the worst case, these ads are from fraudsters who operate fake websites and try to phish the credit card details of potential victims.
What do I have to do
- Check the Google search to see what is displayed as a result.
- Never disclose sensitive data about yourself if you have not carried out thorough checks beforehand.
- Forward potential fraud websites to Cybercrimepolice.ch.
- Only buy the e-vignette on the official portal of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS): www.e-vignette.ch.
I have disclosed my data
- Inform your financial institution immediately and have the bank/debit cards involved blocked.
- Go to your local cantonal police station by telephone and report the incident.
Source: cybercrimepolice.ch
