Hornbach Phishing: Air Conditioning Fraud with 70% Discount in Switzerland
Cybercriminals are exploiting the 2026 heatwave and are advertising fake air conditioning discounts via email in the name of Hornbach. The Zurich Cantonal Police are warning of credit card fraud.
Fake Hornbach Offer Lures Air Conditioning Buyers into Phishing Trap
Google News CH — Crime (de) is reporting on an ongoing fraud scheme deliberately exploiting the hot summer of 2026: Unknown cybercriminals are sending emails purportedly on behalf of the building supplies retailer Hornbach, advertising a "Breezi Pro" air conditioning unit with a discount of 70 per cent.
The Zurich Cantonal Police are warning of this scheme on their portal cybercrimepolice.ch. The perpetrators claim in their messages that only 500 discount codes are available — a tactic to deliberately place recipients under time pressure.
Fake Website, Survey, Fraudulent Shop
According to the Cantonal Police, those who click on the "Redeem Now" button end up on a website mimicking Hornbach's design. There, potential victims are initially redirected to an alleged customer survey. A further link then leads to a fraudulent online shop offering the air conditioning unit at a bargain price.
During the ordering process, the criminals request both personal information and complete credit card details. Those who enter this information transmit it directly to the operators of the fake site. According to the Cantonal Police, the stolen data can be used for unauthorised payments or further fraud attempts.
Additionally, the fake Hornbach website suggests that the offer will expire soon and only a few codes remain available — a classic pressure tactic intended to provoke rushed decisions.
Recommendations from the Zurich Cantonal Police
The Cantonal Police recommend forwarding suspicious emails to [email protected], ignoring them and deleting them. Links in such messages should not be opened. Sensitive data should generally not be disclosed without prior clarification.
Anyone who has already provided payment details should immediately contact their financial institution, have the affected card blocked, and file a report at their local police station.
SBB Also Misused as Phishing Bait
In parallel, cybercriminals have also created a replica of the SBB ticket shop and are using the Swiss Federal Railways brand as a further phishing lure — a proliferation of brand abuse that is currently concerning authorities.
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)