Confidence Tricks: The Grandchild Scam and More

them claim to be in “urgent financial distress.” What became widely known as the grandchild scam now exists in countless variations. A supposed friend abroad who claims to have been robbed and urgently needs a money transfer; a nephew who allegedly has debts and is being threatened by a loan shark; a purported bank employee who must collect your cash to "check for counterfeits" – the list of deception techniques is virtually endless. While older individuals are most commonly targeted, as they are considered more trusting, younger people are increasingly falling victim to such fraudsters as well.

Doorstep Scams, Dubious Coach Tours, Unwanted Contract Commitments

A subtype of confidence trickery can be found in so-called doorstep scams, which are not limited to uninvited salespeople turning up at your door. They also occur at promotional events or through telephone contract sales. Consumers are enticed – for example during the notorious discount coach tours – with the promise of high-quality goods, only to receive cheap imports from Africa, Asia or South America, or to receive nothing at all.

From the moment a customer signs a contract to the time the inferior goods finally arrive, three to four weeks often pass. This delay is deliberate: the statutory right of withdrawal expires after a maximum of fourteen days – and for many doorstep transactions the cooling-off period is just seven days. A healthy level of scepticism towards anything that sounds too good to be true is your best preventative measure. However, if you have already fallen victim to fraud, our professional private investigators in Switzerland are here to support you. Email us at kontakt@kurtz-detektei-schweiz.ch with a description of your case, or call us on +41 44 5522 264. We offer a free and non-binding initial consultation.