Account takeover: Private individual, Switzerland 2024
An acquaintance asked via WhatsApp, partly in Swiss dialect, for an SMS code to be forwarded because his phone was blocked; in fact the message came from his hacked account.
- Incident · 08.2024 · Switzerland
- Evidence: confirmed by an authority
- Account takeover
- Deception (social engineering)
As of
What happened
The victim was then asked to help him out with Twint payments, which the perpetrators used to buy vouchers. In one reported case, they debited more than 1800 francs in this way and, with the first code, also took over the victim’s WhatsApp account.
- Affected
- Private individual (anonymous)
- Industry
- Private individual
- Loss
- more than 1800 francs
- Business interruption
- unknown
- Ransom demanded / paid
- unknown / unknown
- Data affected
- unknown
- Bankruptcy
- no
- Entry point
- WhatsApp message from a hacked contact asking for an SMS code
What would cyber insurance have paid?
That depends on the terms. Whether those affected were insured: unknown.
-
Social media, email or shop taken over
Mostly no information 14 of 29 private products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
-
Misuse of card, Twint, e-banking
Strangers pay with your money
Mostly limited 25 of 29 private products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
Overview based on public policy terms, as of 06.11.2026. Only your policy and its general terms and conditions (GTC) are binding. No confirmation of cover.
What we can learn
Never pass on an SMS code to anyone, not even to your best friend in a chat.
Sources
- Wochenrückblick Woche 34: Was ist mit dem WhatsApp der / des Bekannten los? Oder wie Betrüger über WhatsApp täuschen (opens in a new window) Bundesamt für Cybersicherheit BACS (bis 2023: NCSC) · 27.08.2024
«In einem Fall, der dem BACS gemeldet wurde, konnten die Betrüger auf diese Weise über 1800 Franken abbuchen.»