Respond › Evidence checklist
The evidence to gather before filing a complaint
A well-documented complaint is dealt with more quickly and leaves a chance of acting on the funds. The list below helps you gather the documents without leaving any out, and it can be printed.
This list is for guidance only. Depending on your situation, other items may be useful and some will not apply to you.
First precautions
Delete nothing, whether the conversation, the emails or the app, even if all of it makes you uncomfortable. It is also better not to contact the scammer again to obtain information, since you risk being put under fresh pressure or alerting the perpetrators.
A screenshot is of little use unless it shows the date, the time and the sender. Where the exchanges took place on WhatsApp or Telegram, use the app's export function to keep the full conversation, attachments included. Keep the originals and work on copies, for example on a USB stick set aside for the case.
The timeline of contacts
A precise timeline makes the police's work easier. Allow one line per contact, from the first to the last, using the table below.
| Date and time | Channel | Contact (displayed name, number, address) | What was said or asked | Amount paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Payments
- Bank transfers, giving for each one the date, the amount and the currency, the account debited, the beneficiary's name and IBAN, the beneficiary's bank and the reference given.
- Card payments, noting the date, the amount and the merchant's name as it appears on the statement.
- For Twint, the date and the amount, together with the recipient's number or name.
- If you paid in cryptocurrency, the exchange where you bought it, the destination address, the network used and the transaction ID (hash).
- Bank statements covering the whole period, from the first payment to the last.
Then enter each payment in the table.
| Date | Amount and currency | Method | Beneficiary, IBAN or crypto address | Reference or transaction ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The people you dealt with
Write down every phone number, including numbers that merely called you, as well as email addresses and social media profiles with their links, usernames, names and profile pictures. Also keep the name of the supposed company, its address and any documents it presented to you as official.
Websites and apps
Copy the exact address of the website from the address bar and take dated screenshots of the dashboard and of the balance displayed. Make a note of the apps installed at the scammers' request, in particular remote access software, and of your account ID on the platform, without the password.
The data you handed over
Note exactly what the scammers obtained from you, whether a copy of your identity document, a selfie, proof of address, codes received by text message or your card details. These can be used to steal your identity or to open accounts in your name, so the police and your bank should be informed.
If you sent a copy of your identity document, Zurich cantonal police advise applying for new documents so that the old ones are no longer valid. Unusual orders, invoices or contractual documents issued in your name then call for particular attention, as do targeted emails or calls seeking further data from you. If someone does go on to use your identity, file a complaint and read the page Identity theft.
According to Zurich cantonal police, cybercrimepolice.ch (in French), 15 April 2026.
On the day of the complaint
- An identity document.
- The timeline and the payments table, printed.
- Bank statements and screenshots, on paper or on a USB stick.
- The questions you would like to ask.
While you are there, note the police station, the name of the person who dealt with you and the case reference, if you are given one.
For the next steps, see the page Steps to take after a scam. Checked on 11 October 2026.