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Indica Zaugg was the victim of a credit card fraud.
Jenny WagnerEditor News
Indica Zaugg (37) from Aesch BL can hardly believe it: more than 3000 francs were stolen from her credit card at Cembra Money Bank – she was the victim of credit card fraud. She asks her bank for help. Without success. The single mother of two children has to pay for the damage. A shock for Zaugg. “Something like that breaks my neck,” she says.
Among other things, the fraudsters left 300 francs in a bar, 1,700 francs in the Apple Store, more than 200 francs in a restaurant or 500 francs at the slot machine. A wild party night in Milan can be reconstructed.
While the scammers were having fun in Italy, the single mother spent Christmas at home with her daughter, 10, and son, 7. She saves every franc and lives at the subsistence level.
“Phishing, smishing, scamming or QR codes”
When Zaugg noticed the bookings on December 25, 2022, she immediately called Cembra Money Bank and reported the fraud. A few days pass. Then she gets mail from the bank. The content shocked the Basel bidder. “Due to the present situation, we must assume that you have reacted to a fraudulent event,” writes Cembra Money Bank. She had become a victim of “phishing, smishing, scamming or QR codes”. The bank is convinced that this would have given the fraudsters access to their data. Zaugg’s legal protection does not apply either because she has not taken out any additional insurance for cyber fraud.
With the best will in the world, Zaugg cannot explain how the fraudsters got their data. She denies ever clicking on a phishing link. “The card never left the house, I only use it in very rare cases and only for small amounts.”
For Cembra Money Bank, however, Zaugg is to blame for the fraud: “According to the terms and conditions, you were obliged to keep your security information secret at all times and not to pass it on to third parties.”
One wrong click can be fatal
Katrin Sprenger (43) is CEO of the Zurich start-up Sileniccio and fights against cybercrime. She says: “Fraudsters often steal credit card data as part of an online payment process or as part of a data leak.” Even payments with two-factor authentication can be processed. “Either the scammers have the phone number or cell phone and intercept the second factor directly, or they rely on the carelessness of the owner,” she says. Sprenger warns: “One wrong click and the requested payment is confirmed!”
For Zaugg, the fraud is a disaster. “I don’t have the money and now I have to pay it off for years,” she says with tears in her eyes. The credit card should only be used as a backup for emergencies. Desperate emails and letters to Cembra Money Bank went unanswered. Zaugg only received a request to compensate for the minus amount.
Bank shows goodwill – but only after Blick asks
When asked by Blick, Cembra Money Bank did not want to comment on the case. But a short time later, Zaugg then receives a redeeming call from Cembra Money Bank: you don’t have to pay for the damage and the bank deeply regrets what happened. Zaugg can hardly believe her luck. “It wouldn’t have happened without a look,” she says, relieved.
Nevertheless, caution is required on the Internet. Cyber expert Carola Hug (34) warns against payments on the Internet by credit card. “It’s best to pay with providers like Twint or Paypal,” she explains. “Fraudulent sites could fake such programs badly, which means that a phishing site can be seen through quickly – even if it looks particularly genuine.”