Romance Blackmail Scams in Switzerland
Sextortion schemes targeting Swiss users on dating apps and social platforms, threatening to expose intimate images unless CHF payments are made.
Part of: Romance Blackmail Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Romance blackmail — also called sextortion — is a growing concern in Switzerland, where the NCSC reported a significant rise in sextortion complaints in recent years. Perpetrators build false romantic relationships online, encourage the sharing of intimate images or engage in video calls, then weaponise the material to extort money.
The Deutschschweiz, Romandie, and Ticino regions all see cases, and victims span a wide age range. Switzerland's strict privacy culture can make victims reluctant to report, increasing the effectiveness of the threat.
How this scam works on Switzerland
A scammer creates an attractive fake profile on a dating app, Instagram, or Facebook. After building trust over days or weeks, they encourage intimate exchanges. The material is then used as leverage, with messages demanding CHF hundreds to thousands to prevent distribution to the victim's contacts.
In 'instant sextortion' variants, the victim is lured into a brief video call where the scammer records compromising footage without prior relationship-building. Payment is demanded within hours.
Scammers may claim to be based in Switzerland to avoid victim suspicion, but payments are directed to accounts in jurisdictions with weak enforcement cooperation.
Common red flags
- New online contact becomes intensely romantic very quickly
- Requests to move to an encrypted private channel before sharing intimate content
- Sudden appearance of a threatening message alongside screenshots or video clips
- Demand for immediate CHF payment to a third-party account or crypto wallet
- Threats escalate rapidly if the first payment is made — serial demands follow
- Scammer claims to have your contacts list and names specific friends or family
How to protect yourself
- Never share intimate images or engage in explicit video calls with people you have not met in person
- Do not pay — payments rarely stop demands and confirm the victim will pay
- Document all messages and screenshots before blocking the scammer
- Adjust privacy settings so your social contacts are not publicly visible
- Contact a counselling service such as Pro Juventute (147) if you feel distressed
- Report immediately to cantonal police; Swiss law criminalises sextortion under Art. 156 StGB
How to report it
- Report to your cantonal cybercrime police unit or file online at police.ch
- Submit evidence to NCSC at ncsc.admin.ch for national tracking
- If images have been posted online, use platform reporting tools and contact SAFE-NET Switzerland for takedown support
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay to stop intimate images being shared?
No. Paying almost always leads to further demands rather than compliance. Block the scammer, preserve evidence, and report to police.