Calls in which fraudsters pose as officials calling from a Swiss number have been among the most frequently reported incidents to the NCSC in recent years. From January to June 2026, more than 400 reports were received regularly every month. With the extension of the caller ID requirement to mobile phone numbers on 1 July, the number of notifications in July fell to under 100 – a drop of more than 75 per cent compared with previous months. The initial roll-out phase for landline numbers in January had already shown the first signs of a downward trend. Despite the decline in fraudulent calls made in the name of public authorities, the number of reports remain high, with 27,128 voluntary reports and 200 reportable cyberincidents. Fraud remains a dominant and lucrative mass market business.
Attacks personalised using AI
The 2026 semi-annual report shows that the trend towards…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.