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 your vehicle has been temporarily blocked, and ask via a link that you re-enter your payment details.
In addition, sales pages are circulating that look deceptively similar to the official federal portal. They demand significantly more than the official price of CHF 40, or fail to deliver a valid vignette at all. The Federal Office for Cybersecurity (BACS), which includes the former National Cyber Security Centre, also warned about phishing and misleading offers relating 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 travelers 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 risk a fine for lacking a valid vignette. Clicking the link leads to a fake website where credit card details and personal information are requested. Anyone who enters their data there risks having it misused by the fraudsters for further charges. Other typical warning signs include unusual sender addresses, an impersonal greeting, and spelling mistakes, even though the messages are becoming increasingly professional in appearance.
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 key date of January 31, 2026, when the 2025 vignette lost its validity and many drivers urgently needed a new one.
The second scam targets online searches. Fake or heavily overpriced offers often appear as sponsored ads at the very top of search results, which makes them look legitimate. Anyone wanting to quickly buy a 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 neighboring country: we recently reported on fake reminder emails 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. The FOCBS charges exactly CHF 40 there. The vignette is valid from December 1 of the previous year until January 31 of the following year, so the 2027 vignette is valid from December 1, 2026. Experience shows that many purchases, and consequently new scam attempts, are to be expected particularly in the weeks around this date. We have summarized all the basics on the vignette requirement on our guide page on the Switzerland vignette.
To protect against fraud, it is advisable to check a provider's web address carefully before every purchase and, as a general rule, not to click on links in unexpected emails or text messages. Instead, enter website addresses directly into your browser's address bar. Also look out for a complete legal notice (imprint), transparent pricing, and a verifiable order confirmation with the license plate and validity period.
Anyone who has already entered credit card details on a suspicious site should contact their bank or card provider immediately and have the card blocked. It is also advisable to file a report with the police. It is also important to check the license plate: the e-vignette is linked to the license plate, 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 Rheineck border crossing
Vignette fraud doesn't only happen online. 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 piece of film and attached to the windshield with a piece of glass, allowing it to be reused on different vehicles multiple times. The customs officers confiscated the vignette.
The St. Gallen public prosecutor's office issued a penalty order against a man residing in Switzerland for forging or falsifying 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 windshield, 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 apply in Switzerland only in a few cases, for example for individual tunnels or vehicle transport by rail. You can find an overview of these special fees and the heavy vehicle fee for vehicles over 3.5 t gross weight on our page about road charges in Switzerland at road charges in Switzerland.
Switzerland toll at a glance
For cars, motorcycles, and motorhomes up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight, the vignette requirement (sticker or e-vignette) applies on motorways and expressways. Only an annual vignette is available; Switzerland does not offer shorter validity periods.
For vehicles over 3.5 t gross weight, the heavy vehicle charge (PSVA/LSVA) applies instead. In addition, a separate special toll applies on certain tunnels (Great St. Bernard, Munt la Schera), independent of the other toll product. For cars there are no toll stations and no distance-based toll; only trucks over 3.5 t pay the distance-based LSVA.
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.
* ASFINAG toll fee (10-day vignette): 12.80 €, toll fee fully covered by DMC, flat price (per monthly billing period): 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 on the Switzerland vignette, and an overview of further charges on the page Road tolls in Switzerland.
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.
