This is an independent information resource, not a FINMA website. It is not published or endorsed by FINMA or fedpol. It provides neither financial advice nor a guarantee that an investment is safe. The absence of a warning does not establish that an offer is trustworthy.
FINMA · Consumer and investor protection
FINMA is the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority. Its supervisory work concerns financial institutions and financial market activities within its legal remit. For a consumer, understanding that role is a useful first step: supervision is not the same as recommending a product, promising a return or checking every message sent by someone who claims to represent a regulated firm. Start with the authority’s own explanation of its responsibilities rather than a salesperson’s summary of them.
- FINMA · Client protection — the official starting point for understanding how financial supervision contributes to protecting clients.
- FINMA · Information for the public — an entry point to the authority’s information for consumers and investors.
- FINMA · Warning about phishing emails — consult the original notice when assessing messages presented as FINMA communications.
Read the client-protection material to understand both the purpose and the limits of supervision. A supervisory authority’s public-interest responsibilities should not be confused with an individual adviser’s duties or a court’s power to resolve a private dispute. Do not assume that contacting FINMA will recover a payment, secure compensation or decide a contractual disagreement. Use the official public-information pages to find the appropriate channel and check what that channel can actually do before submitting information.
Before sending money or personal documents, establish exactly who is offering the service. Compare the legal name, website address and independently obtained contact details. If you consult an official register or warning list through FINMA’s public pages, examine the scope of the information, not just a familiar-looking name. A fraudster may borrow the name of a genuine business while using a different domain or telephone number. A matching name alone does not authenticate the person contacting you.
Equally, an authorisation should not be read as a guarantee against loss. Investments carry risks, and an entry in a register does not establish that a particular offer suits your circumstances. Be especially cautious when an intermediary presents an authority’s name, a screenshot or a registration reference as proof that returns are assured. This guide is a route to primary sources; it does not certify providers, rank investments or replace independent professional advice.
How to approach a phishing warning
The linked FINMA phishing notice is a dated official source, not a live assessment of every email you might receive. Read the notice itself for its wording, publication context and any subsequent updates. This guide does not reproduce an unverified account of the incident or suggest that every fraudulent message follows the same pattern. Criminals can change names, visual branding and payment instructions while retaining the same aim: persuading someone to disclose information or transfer money.
If an unexpected message claims to come from FINMA, pause before acting. A display name, official-looking signature or logo is not proof of origin. Avoid opening unexpected attachments, entering credentials through supplied links or calling a number simply because it appears in the message. Reach the institution independently, using its known official website and contact information. The same precaution applies if a caller claims to be following up an email or offers to guide you through a supposed verification procedure.
Pressure to act immediately is a reason to slow down, not to skip verification. Requests for passwords, one-time security codes, remote access to your device or an advance payment to release funds deserve particular caution. These are general safety precautions, not quotations from the FINMA notice. Never assume that a request is legitimate because the sender mentions a real investigation, knows some of your personal details or promises to recover a previous investment loss.
If you have already responded, contact your bank or payment provider promptly through a trusted channel and explain what happened. Ask about protective steps that may still be available; recovery is not guaranteed. Preserve the original message, sender details, payment references and a short timeline without circulating sensitive information publicly. If credentials were disclosed, secure the affected accounts using trusted devices and the provider’s official recovery process. Seek police guidance where suspected criminal conduct is involved.
FINMA · Videos and investment-fraud awareness
- FINMA · Protection against investment fraud — a video resource focused on fraud prevention.
- FINMA · Official video library — a route to other information videos published by the authority.
Use the fraud-prevention video as an introduction, then return to the written official resources for details relevant to your situation. Educational material can help you frame better questions, but watching a video does not verify an investment or identify every possible deception. If you are discussing an offer with a family member, pause together and compare the claims being made with information obtained independently. Avoid treating confidence, polished presentation or repeated testimonials as substitutes for evidence.
The broader video library provides context beyond a single fraud-prevention topic. Check the title, date and language of each item before relying on it. Availability, subtitles and formats may change on the official site. You do not need to play a video to use this guide: the written explanations and all six resource links are available directly in the page, without JavaScript or embedded third-party websites.
fedpol · Federal Office of Police
fedpol is Switzerland’s Federal Office of Police. It is distinct from FINMA and is not the financial market supervisory authority. The two institutions must not be treated as interchangeable simply because an incident involves money. Questions about supervision and public financial-market information belong in a different institutional context from suspected criminal conduct. An institution’s presence in this guide does not imply a joint service or an endorsement of AMEV.
Use the official fedpol website to understand its responsibilities and locate relevant police information. Do not assume that every individual fraud report should be sent directly to fedpol: the appropriate reporting route may depend on where you are, where events occurred and the nature of the case. Follow official instructions and, where appropriate, contact your local or cantonal police. For an urgent threat, use the relevant emergency service rather than waiting for a response to a general enquiry.
Keep a factual record when seeking help. Dates, transaction identifiers, website addresses and copies of communications are more useful than unsupported conclusions about who is responsible. Share personal or financial evidence only through an appropriate official channel. This AMEV page has no reporting form and does not receive complaints on behalf of either institution. Opening the fedpol link takes you to a separate official website, where its own guidance and privacy information apply.
Practical recap · Using these resources
- Start with the question. For an explanation of financial supervision, begin with client protection. For consumer-facing guidance and routes to further checks, use FINMA’s public-information page. For a suspicious communication, consult the phishing notice while verifying the sender independently.
- Separate identity from investment risk. Verify who you are dealing with, then assess the offer itself. Genuine contact details do not make a product risk-free, and a convincing imitation of a genuine institution does not establish the sender’s identity.
- Pause before paying or sharing data. Do not let deadlines imposed by an unsolicited caller prevent independent checks. If key details cannot be reconciled, stop and seek clarification through trusted channels rather than sending a small “test” payment.
- Choose the right help. A bank may be able to advise on an affected payment or account. FINMA’s public resources explain supervisory matters. Police guidance addresses suspected criminal conduct. None of these routes should be presented as a promise of reimbursement.
- Return to the primary source. Save the official page address and note when you consulted it. Recheck current instructions before taking action, because notices, contact details and procedures can change after this independent guide was reviewed.
This English guide covers the same six official resources as the Italian edition, with additional practical explanation. External resource links open in a new tab or window. If a destination is unavailable, navigate independently to the institution’s official homepage rather than using an unsolicited replacement link. The purpose is informed, cautious use of public information, not a judgement about any particular firm or an assurance that a transaction is safe.
Editorial review: . The six external destinations could not be checked in the review environment because DNS resolution failed. The requested URLs are retained without substitutions; their inclusion is not confirmation of current availability.