Switzerland: Authorities warn of phishing emails and fake shops surrounding the e-vignette
The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) is warning about phishing emails and fake web shops related to the Swiss e-vignette. Fraudsters claim in emails and text messages that the e-vignette for the recipient's vehicle has been temporarily blocked, and use a link to demand that payment details be entered again.
In addition, sales pages are circulating that look deceptively similar to the official federal portal. They charge significantly more than the official price of CHF 40 or don't deliver a valid vignette at all. The Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOCS), which now includes the former National Cyber Security Centre, also warned about phishing and misleading offers related to the e-vignette in its weekly review at the start of 2026. With the upcoming 2027 vignette in mind, these warnings remain relevant for all travellers to Switzerland.
How the fraudsters operate
The phishing messages are usually designed to look like a notice from a Swiss federal authority. They rely on time pressure: the vignette is said to be blocked, a payment is said to have failed, or the vehicle is said to be at risk of a fine without a valid vignette. Clicking the link leads to a replicated website that asks for credit card details and personal information. Anyone who enters their details there risks having them misused by the perpetrators for further debits. Other typical warning signs include unusual sender addresses, an impersonal greeting, and spelling mistakes, even though the messages are becoming increasingly professional-looking.
The FOCBS gives clear advice on this: never enter payment or personal details if you have reached a website via a link in an email or text message. The fraudsters made particularly targeted use of the 31 January 2026 deadline, on which the 2025 vignette expired and many drivers needed a new vignette at short notice.
The second scam starts with an internet search. Fake or heavily overpriced offers frequently appear as sponsored ads right at the top of search results, making them look legitimate. Anyone wanting to quickly buy the vignette online shortly before departure can easily click on the first result without checking the address carefully. Similar scam attempts have also occurred in the neighbouring country: we recently reported on fake reminder emails sent in the name of ASFINAG in Austria.
Official portal and the most important protective rules
The official federal sales portal for the e-vignette is via.admin.ch; access is also possible via the address e-vignette.ch. There, the FOCBS charges exactly CHF 40. The vignette is valid from 1 December of the previous year to 31 January of the following year, so the 2027 vignette will be valid from 1 December 2026. Experience shows that many purchases—and therefore new fraud attempts—are to be expected especially in the weeks around this date. We have summarised all the basics on the vignette requirement on our guide page on the Switzerland vignette.
To protect against fraud, it is advisable to carefully check a provider's web address before every purchase and, as a rule, not to click on links in unexpected emails or text messages. Instead, enter websites directly via the browser's address bar. Also look out for a complete legal notice (imprint), a transparent price statement, and a comprehensible order confirmation with the licence plate number and validity period.
Anyone who has already entered credit card details on a suspicious site should immediately contact their bank or card provider and have the card blocked. It is also advisable to file a report with the police. It's also important to check the licence plate: the e-vignette is tied to the licence plate number, and a typo when entering it means the vehicle will be considered as not having a vignette during a check.
Manipulated sticker vignette at the border in Rheineck
Fraud involving the vignette isn't limited to the internet. In late May 2026, FOCBS staff discovered a manipulated sticker vignette during an entry check at the Rheineck SG border crossing. It had been stuck onto a film and attached to the windscreen with a piece of glass, allowing it to be used multiple times on different vehicles. The customs officers confiscated the vignette.
The St. Gallen public prosecutor's office issued a penalty order against a man residing in Switzerland for forgery or falsification of official stamps of value. He received a suspended fine of 20 daily rates of CHF 80 each, plus a fine of CHF 400 and fees of a further CHF 400. The case became public at the end of July 2026. A sticker vignette is only valid if it is stuck directly onto the windscreen, and it may not be transferred to another vehicle. Our overview of the borders of Switzerland shows which border crossings exist around Switzerland.
Besides the vignette requirement, additional fees only apply in a few cases in Switzerland, for example for individual tunnels or vehicle transport by rail. You can find an overview of these special fees and the heavy vehicle charge for vehicles over 3.5 t gross weight on our page on road charges in Switzerland.
Switzerland toll at a glance
For cars, motorcycles and motorhomes up to 3.5 t GVW, the digital vignette requirement applies on motorways and expressways. Only an annual vignette is available, as Switzerland does not offer shorter validity periods.
For vehicles over 3.5 t GVW, the heavy vehicle charge (PSVA/LSVA) applies instead. In addition, individual tunnels (Great St. Bernard, Munt la Schera) charge a separate special toll, regardless of any other toll product. Switzerland has no distance-based kilometre toll.
All details on tolls in SwitzerlandThe vignette flat rate explained
With our vignette flat rate, you save yourself the hassle of buying individually for each trip: for just 12,80 €* per month, it covers the included vignettes in 8 European countries. For each trip, simply select the appropriate vignette, and the toll fee is then already covered by your flat rate. You are not tied to any single country.
*Official Swiss vignette fee (annual vignette, the only validity period available, as of 09/2026): 40 CHF (approx. 42.54 €), full coverage of the vignette fee by DMC, flat price (per calendar month): 12,80 €, notice period 0 days.
- One flat rate, 8 countries
- Travel flexibly
- Termination directly in the administration
The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!
You can find all the basics about the vignette requirement on our guide page for the Switzerland vignette, with further fees at a glance on the page road charges in Switzerland. Anyone currently travelling via the Gotthard route should also take note of the night closures in the Seelisberg Tunnel.
Frequently asked questions about phishing and fake shops with the e-vignette
The most important answers for safely purchasing the Swiss vignette.
Can my Swiss e-vignette be blocked via email?
According to a warning from the FOCBS, emails or text messages claiming that your e-vignette has been blocked and asking you to re-enter your payment details are a common scam. Do not enter any data via such links; instead, access the official portal via.admin.ch directly by typing the address into your browser's address bar.
What does the Swiss vignette cost from the Federal Government?
The FOCBS charges exactly CHF 40 for the Swiss vignette. It is valid from 1 December of the previous year until 31 January of the following year, so the 2027 vignette is valid from 1 December 2026.
What should I do if I entered data on a fake website?
Contact your bank or card provider immediately and have the card blocked. You should also report the incident to the police.
May a sticker vignette be used on multiple vehicles?
No. A sticker vignette is only valid if it is stuck directly onto the windshield. Manipulations for multiple use are considered forgery of official stamps of value, as a case at the Rheineck border crossing in May 2026 shows.
