Before you transfer: a practical defence against investment fraud
Check the institution, the contact channel and the withdrawal story before trusting a return.
Professional appearance is not proof
Fraudulent offers can use convincing websites, familiar logos and polished account dashboards. A visible rising balance is not evidence that real assets exist or can be withdrawn. Pressure to decide quickly, unusually attractive returns and requests to bypass ordinary bank procedures warrant careful checks. FINMA’s practical guidance recommends taking time and checking provider identity and warning sources before committing funds.
Verify outside the sales channel
Find the legal entity independently and check its commercial registration and relevant financial authorisation. Use contact details obtained from an official source, not only the links in a sales message. A scammer may impersonate a genuine authorised firm. Confirm that the person, website domain, bank beneficiary and product actually belong to that firm. Absence from a warning list is not proof of legitimacy or approval.
Understand the actual ownership
Ask where assets are held, in whose name, under which law and how withdrawals work. Read risks and fees before trusting a capital guarantee; identify the guarantor and conditions. If you cannot explain the legal arrangement in ordinary language, postpone the transfer. Unexpected demands for extra tax, verification or unlocking payments to release funds are important warning signs that deserve an independent check.
Hypothetical escalation
A person invests CHF 5,000 after an online introduction. The dashboard displays profits, then an agent requests CHF 1,200 to release the balance. This example does not establish whether a particular offer is fraudulent, but it shows why paying more should not be the automatic response. Preserve messages and payment details, contact your bank promptly and seek advice from the appropriate authorities rather than the seller alone.
Recovery offers can add a second loss
After a suspected scam, be cautious about unsolicited recovery specialists claiming guaranteed access to the money. Independently verify their identity, fees and legal basis. Never grant remote access to banking devices or disclose authentication codes merely because someone claims to be a regulator. Time matters for notifying the bank, but urgency should not force another unverified transfer. Keep a chronological record of what happened.
A repeatable transfer protocol
For any new provider, check identity, authorisation, beneficiary, custody, documentation and withdrawal terms before funding. Discuss the offer with a person who has no interest in the sale. Use official FINMA guidance and contact your bank if anything changes unexpectedly. Clearwise can help identify questions for a review, but neither an attractive presentation nor an adviser’s confidence replaces direct verification or guarantees recovery after fraud.
Protect the communication channel
Even with a legitimate account, changed payment instructions deserve independent confirmation. If an email suddenly replaces the bank beneficiary, contact the institution through a known official channel rather than replying to that message. Keep authentication codes private and verify the destination before authorising a transfer. This operational discipline is separate from judging investment performance. It can prevent a legitimate planning decision from becoming a fraudulent payment merely because the communication route has been compromised at the final step.
Sources and further reading
Original Clearwise analysis. External reporting provides context; rules and contract terms must be verified with the competent authority or provider. Some press articles may require a subscription.
- Reference FINMA: practical investor-protection tips ↗
- Reference FINMA: Financial Services Act ↗
Apply this to your situation
Compare your actual documents and clarify what matters before making a commitment.
Request a free consultationGeneral guidance, not a binding quote or personalised legal, tax or investment advice. Examples are hypothetical and results are not guaranteed.
