Cybercrime: International investigations by the OAG and fedpol result in conviction for real-time phishing in the UK
Bern, 29.07.2025 — The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has been conducting criminal proceedings since 2022 in the matter of a large-scale phishing series. Fake e-banking login pages had been used to defraud numerous Swiss bank customers, resulting in losses of around CHF 2.4 million. In this context, the OAG took over about thirty cases from the cantons. The investigations conducted by the OAG and fedpol led to the identification and location of the developer and distributor of phishing kit in the UK. The case was taken over by the British authorities, who were already conducting similar proceedings against the individual involved. He was sentenced by a court in the UK on 23 July 2025 to seven years imprisonment. This success demonstrates the importance of international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime. In July 2022, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) initiated criminal proceedings against persons unknown on suspicion of computer fraud (Art. 147 para. 1 in conjunction with para. 2 Swiss Criminal Code (SCC)) in connection with an extensive phishing series. Prior to this, several cantonal public prosecutor's offices had already initiated proceedings in around 30 cases in connection with the same matter, which the OAG subsequently took over and joined in its proceedings. In August 2023, following the identification of the developer and distributor of the phishing kit, criminal proceedings were extended to this person. Real-time phishing on a grand scale Between May 2022 and September 2022, unknown perpetrators created and used several fake login websites (phishing pages) for various Swiss banks, using what is known as a phishing kit. Bank customers who used Google Search to access their account ended up on the phishing pages posted as adverts and fell victim to the scam when they attempted to log into their supposed e-banking accounts. As a result, their e-banking access data were intercepted unbeknown to them, enabling the perpetrators to use the stolen access data to log into the victim's e-banking accounts and enable the two-factor authentication. The victims still believed that they were on the bank's real website and authenticated the login by entering the authentication code they received by text message on the phishing page. As a result, the perpetrators gained access to their authentication codes. This enabled them to successfully log into the victims' e-banking accounts and register an additional device with the bank to confirm two-factor authentication. The perpetrators were then able to log into the victims’ e-banking accounts without any further action by the victims and initiate payments without their knowledge or consent. The damage caused to the injured parties in the Swiss criminal proceedings amounts to CHF 2.4 million. Successful cooperation with the UK, Europol and Eurojust The intensive investigations conducted by the OAG and fedpol resulted in the identification and localisation of a British national who had developed and distributed the phishing kit. The OAG and fedpol's subsequent close cooperation with Europol, Eurojust and UK law enforcement authorities led to the arrest and prosecution in the UK of the developer and seller of the phishing kit. As the UK authorities were already conducting similar proceedings against this person, they took over the Swiss proceedings at the OAG’s request, continuing them in the UK. The OAG subsequently discontinued its criminal proceedings. On 23 July 2025, the perpetrator was sentenced in the UK to seven years imprisonment for his offences (press release from the Crown Prosecution Service). This success demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of international cooperation in tackling the fight against the ever-increasing cybercrime.
