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The scammer's Christmas wishlist (and how to disappoint them)
Somewhere right now, a scammer is preparing for the busiest season of their year. The holiday when you're distracted by gifts, stressed about family, and checking your phone between courses at dinner. When your guard is down and your wallet is open.
They've been refining their scripts. Polishing their fake websites. Practicing their "concerned bank employee" voice. And they're very, very good at what they do.
But here's the thing: scams only work if you don't see them coming, so let's ruin their holiday, shall we?
Think you've received a suspicious message claiming to be from Alpian? Report it through the app or at alpian.com/contact
1. The "your account is compromised" email
What lands in your inbox
URGENT: We've detected unusual activity on your account. Click here immediately to verify your identity or your account will be suspended.
The logo and the formatting is professional. Your heart rate spikes a little and you almost click.
What's actually happening
A scammer has sent this exact email to 50’000 people today. They don't know if you have an account with that bank and they don't care. They just need a fraction of recipients to panic and click.
That link leads to a pixel-perfect copy of your bank's login page. You enter your credentials and they capture them in real-time. Within minutes, they're logging into your actual account. They got what they wanted and moved on before you even realized something was wrong.
In Switzerland this year, they sent fake tax refund emails telling people they were owed money. Free money from the government-just click here. Thousands of people indeed clicked.
How to ruin their day
Never click links in emails about your accounts. If you're worried, open a fresh browser and type your bank's address manually. The five seconds of inconvenience is worth everything.
2. The "your package is waiting" text
What buzzes on your phone
Swiss Post: Your parcel cannot be delivered. Outstanding customs fee: CHF 2,30. Pay here to release: [suspicious link]
CHF 2,30, that's nothing and you are expecting that thing from the Post...
What's actually happening
They know it's December, and that everyone's expecting packages. The fee is deliberately tiny-small enough that you won't think twice, large enough that you'll enter your card details.
They don't want your CHF 2,30, they want your card details. Once they have it, they either drain your account or sell your details to other criminals. Your financial identity becomes a commodity.
The Swiss National Cyber Security Centre has flagged fake delivery notices as one of the fastest-growing scams in the country.
How to ruin their day
Real delivery companies don't text you from random numbers demanding payment. If there's a genuine customs fee, you'll get proper documentation-usually a physical slip. Delete the text and block the number.
Source: Swiss National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) https://www.ncsc.admin.ch/ncsc/en/home/aktuell/im-fokus/2024/wochenrueckblick_46.html
https://www.ncsc.admin.ch/ncsc/en/home/aktuell/im-fokus/2024/wochenrueckblick_52.html
3. The website that's almost right
What you see
Your bank's website with familiar colors, layout and login page. Everything looks normal.
Except the URL says alpian-secure-login.com instead of alpian.com.
What's actually happening
These aren't sloppy criminals, they're meticulous. They clone entire websites-every button, every image, every bit of fine print. Then they register domains that look almost legitimate and wait for someone who's rushing, someone who's tired, someone who doesn't check the address bar.
We've dealt with this firsthand. Scammers have created sites like "alpian.private-eu.com" and "alpianmanagement.com" to prey on users. These aren't accidents but traps, carefully built and patiently maintained.
When you enter your credentials, the site either shows an "error" and redirects you to the real site (so you don't get suspicious) or simply captures your information and goes silent. Either way, they now have everything they need.
How to ruin their day
Train yourself to check the URL before entering anything sensitive. Alpian only exists at alpian.com anything else is fraud. Better yet, use the app directly, it can't be faked the same way.
4. The phone call from "your bank's fraud team"
What you hear
A professional voice, slightly urgent but controlled:
"Good afternoon, this is the security department at your bank. We've detected suspicious transactions on your account and need to verify some details with you. This is time-sensitive."
What's actually happening
The person on the line has a script, a fake caller ID, and absolutely no connection to your bank. Their job is to create just enough panic to override your critical thinking. They tell you criminals are draining your account right now and to protect your money, you need to transfer it to a "secure holding account." which belongs to the scammer.
Switzerland recorded nearly 22’000 reports of these calls in 2024. The victims are disproportionately elderly-people who grew up trusting official-sounding voices. These criminals know exactly who they're hunting.
How to ruin their day
Hang up, that's it. No real bank will ever call you demanding immediate transfers. If you're worried, open your Alpian app and live-chat with us.
Source: The Local Switzerland / Swiss National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)URL: https://www.thelocal.ch/20240418/how-to-avoid-the-police-phone-scam-in-switzerland
https://www.ncsc.admin.ch/ncsc/en/home/aktuell/im-fokus/2024/wochenrueckblick_15.html
5. The investment that's "basically free money"
What they promise
"I've been using this trading platform for six months. 40% returns. Guaranteed. They have an algorithm that basically can't lose."
The message comes from someone you vaguely know on social media, maybe a charming stranger in your DMs or an ad on social media like Instagram or Facebook featuring (or not) a celebrity who definitely didn't endorse this.
What's actually happening
They let you invest a small amount first, they show you a dashboard where your "portfolio" is growing beautifully. They might even let you withdraw a little-builds trust, makes it feel real. Then they encourage you to go bigger, much bigger: retirement savings, home equity, everything you have. When you try to withdraw your balance, suddenly there are fees, taxes, verification issues, technical problems, then silence, the website vanishes. Everything is gone.
The average victim loses over CHF 17’000. Many lose far more. These scammers specifically target people approaching retirement-people who can't afford to start over.
How to ruin their day
There are no such thing as guaranteed returns, anyone promising otherwise is either lying or about to steal from you. Be deeply skeptical of unsolicited investment offers, especially ones that pressure you to act fast.
Source: Barclays / The Fintech TimesURL: https://thefintechtimes.com/investment-scams-hit-consumers-pockets-hardest-in-2024-barclays-reveals-scam-statistics/
https://home.barclays/news/press-releases/2024/12/scams-unwrapped--barclays-reveals-the-most-spotte…
6. The lottery you never entered
What arrives in your inbox
Congratulations! Your email address has been selected as the winner of the European Digital Lottery. You have won EUR 2,4 million. To claim your prize, please pay the processing fee of EUR 450...
Everyone knows this is a scam. And yet...
What's actually happening
Advance-fee fraud has been around since before email existed. It shouldn't work anymore, but 32% of scams reported in 2024 were still this basic formula: promise something wonderful, extract money upfront, disappear.
Once you pay that first fee, you're psychologically invested, you want to believe. So, when they ask for another fee to cover "taxes" or "transfer costs," you pay again and again.
The variations are endless: fake inheritances, loan offers requiring deposits, business opportunities needing "good faith" payments… but the structure is always the same.
How to ruin their day
If someone offers you money but asks you to pay them first, it's a scam. No exceptions, no "but the documents look official." If you have to pay to receive, you will only ever pay.
Source: Barclays / The Fintech Times https://thefintechtimes.com/investment-scams-hit-consumers-pockets-hardest-in-2024-barclays-reveals…
7. The love of the life (who needs money)
What it feels like
They're perfect: attractive, attentive, interested in everything you say. They message good morning and good night. They remember the little details. They talk about the future like you're already in it together.
There's just one problem: they live far away.
What's actually happening
Romance scammers play a long game. Some work in teams, sharing notes on different victims-who's lonely, who's recently divorced, who's grieving, who has money.
They invest weeks or months building emotional dependency before they mention money. When the ask comes, it's wrapped in crisis: a family emergency, a medical situation, a business opportunity they want to share with you.
Romance scams have doubled in Europe every year since 2023. The victims are often people who've lost a spouse, gone through a divorce, or spent too long feeling invisible. These criminals specifically hunt for loneliness.
How to ruin their day
If someone you've never met in person asks for money, that's your answer-no matter how real the connection feels. Real love doesn't require wire transfers. You should run a reverse image search on their photos, insist on video calls and remember: smart, capable people fall for this every day. Loneliness is the vulnerability, not intelligence.
And look out for the people you love. If a family member who's been alone suddenly seems happy and mentions they've met someone online, especially someone who lives far away or always has a reason they can't video call, gently ask questions. The person being scammed often can't see it, but you might.
Source: BioCatch – "Scams in Europe: What the data really tells us" https://www.biocatch.com/blog/scams-in-europe-what-the-data-really-tells-us
8. The child who lost their phone
What pops up on WhatsApp
Hi Mom! 😅 Dropped my phone in the toilet like an idiot. This is my new number-can you save it?
A few messages later:
Ugh such a nightmare. I can't log into my banking app on this phone and I have to buy something now. Could you transfer CHF 200 and I'll pay you back tomorrow? Sorry to ask!!
What's actually happening
This scam requires zero technical skill. Just a message that sounds vaguely like someone's child and a parent whose instinct to help overrides their caution. These criminals specifically target older parents. They send messages in bulk, knowing that a percentage will have a child, will believe the story, and will transfer money without verifying.
37% of people encountered this scam in 2024. That's not 37% who fell for it-that's 37% who were targeted.
How to ruin their day
Before sending anything, verify through another channel, call your child's old number, send a voice note and ask for one back, ask something only they'd know. Real family will understand, but a scammer will make excuses or vanish.
Source: Barclays 2024 Scam Statistics / The Fintech Times https://thefintechtimes.com/investment-scams-hit-consumers-pockets-hardest-in-2024-barclays-reveals…
Note: The 37% figure refers to people who have either been targeted by this scam or know someone who has, according to the Barclays top 10 scams list.
9. The charity that doesn't exist
What tugs at your heart
Help children displaced by [current crisis]. Every franc saves a life. Donate now.
The images are heartbreaking, the cause is real and you want to help.
What's actually happening
These people monetize tragedy. When disasters strike, they launch fake campaigns within hours to intercept the generosity meant for actual victims.
They create fake organizations with professional websites, they impersonate legitimate charities with slightly altered names. They harvest donations meant for suffering people and pocket every cent.
And it's not just digital, during the holidays, they're everywhere in person too: outside Christmas markets, on busy shopping streets, in train stations. They have clipboards, collection boxes, sad stories. Some wear vests that look official, some claim to represent well-known organizations. The money goes straight into their pockets.
How to ruin their day
Never donate through links in unsolicited messages and be just as skeptical of strangers with collection boxes. If a cause moves you, go directly to the charity's official website by searching for it yourself. In Switzerland, look for ZEWO certification. Real charities don't ask for gift cards, cryptocurrency, or cash on the street.
10. The deal you can't believe
What stops your scroll
iPhone 15 Pro Max - CHF 399!! Only 3 left in stock!! Order NOW!!
What's actually happening
They've built a convincing fake website, filled it with stolen product images, and set prices just low enough to trigger impulse buying.
You pay, you wait and nothing arrives. You try to contact them, you try to dispute but you paid by bank transfer because that's what the site required. No refund. No product.
Three out of four scam reports in 2024 were purchase scams. During the holidays, when everyone's hunting for deals and shopping in a hurry, these criminals work overtime.
How to ruin their day
If a price seems impossible, the product is too. Stick to established retailers, use payment methods with buyer protection. Never pay by bank transfer to a seller you don't know.
Source: Barclays / The Fintech TimesURL: https://thefintechtimes.com/investment-scams-hit-consumers-pockets-hardest-in-2024-barclays-reveals…
11. The Easy Money Job (That Makes You a Criminal)
What they offer
Work from home! Earn CHF 500/week just processing payments. No experience needed. Start immediately.
A simple job, easy money, flexible hours. All you have to do is receive money into your bank account and transfer it somewhere else and you keep a percentage. What's the catch?
What's actually happening
You've just become a money mule. That money flowing through your account? It's stolen from scam victims, from hacked accounts, from other crimes. By moving it, you're laundering it for criminals and when the police investigate, the trail leads directly to you.
They recruit through job ads, social media, even dating apps. Sometimes they pose as employers, sometimes it's a romantic interest who asks you to "help them out" with a transfer. Sometimes they frame it as a legitimate business opportunity or cryptocurrency investment.
The pitch is always the same: easy money, minimal effort, no questions asked. By the time you realize what's happening, your bank account is frozen, you're under investigation, and "I didn't know" isn't a legal defense.
Young people are increasingly targeted: students looking for flexible work, people struggling financially, anyone who might not ask too many questions about why the money is moving.
How to ruin their day
If a job involves receiving and transferring money through your personal bank account, it's not a job, it's a crime. No legitimate employer pays you to move money through your own account. If someone you've met online asks you to receive funds "temporarily" or help them transfer money, that's not romance, that's recruitment.
And if someone you know suddenly has a vague "finance job" that pays suspiciously well for doing almost nothing, they might need a reality check before they end up with a criminal record.
12. The phone snatcher
What happens
You're at a Christmas market, checking a message. Someone bumps into you an your phone is gone. Five minutes later, they're transferring money out of your banking app.
What's actually happening
These aren't opportunistic thieves, they work in teams. One person watches you enter your PIN or pattern- at an ATM, a payment terminal, or just unlocking your phone on the tram. Another follows you until the right moment, then snatches it.
Once they have your phone and your unlock code, they're in everything: Banking apps, email, payment apps. Your entire financial life lives behind one PIN and they watched you enter it.
This has become increasingly common in European cities during the holidays but also everywhere in the world in touristic or less touristic places.
How to ruin their day
Switch to Face ID or fingerprint unlock, no code to watch means nothing to steal. If you must use a PIN, shield your screen like you would at an ATM. Keep your phone close to your body, not loosely in your hand, and if you don't need it out, keep it away.
What alpian will never do
We will never email you asking for your password. Not to "verify your account." Not for "security purposes."
We will never call you demanding immediate money transfers. Anyone who does this is a criminal.
We will never text you links to approve transactions. If you get an SMS asking you to click something, it's not from us.
We will never operate from any domain except alpian.com. If the URL says anything else-anything at all-it's fraud.
We will never advertise vaguely stated "high guaranteed returns investment" on social media
We will never contact you directly via email or phone if you are not a customer, especially not from a non-Swiss number
If something feels wrong, open the Alpian app and contact us directly. We'd rather you verify a thousand legitimate messages than fall for one fake.
Protect the people you love
These criminals don't target everyone equally. They hunt for vulnerability: elderly people who trust official voices, lonely people desperate for connection, busy people who don't double-check, grieving people whose judgment is clouded.
Maybe that's you sometimes, your parents, your grandparents or a friend going through a difficult time. Talk to them, share this article, have the conversation before they get that message.
These predators succeed because victims feel too ashamed to talk about it, so break that silence
