Sometimes you find an official-looking piece of paper affixed to your mailbox or front door, or a mail delivery person bringing you something to sign. But should you?
Given many scams circulating around Switzerland, it is often difficult for a foreign national (especially one not yet fluent in a local language or local ways) to distinguish between a legitimate and fraudulent demand.
What may look totally above-board at first glance, could actually be an attempt to trick you – and vice-versa.
Basically, there are three types of legal or administrative documents (whether letters or notices) that you should respond to. in Switzerland.
They always come from a recognisable, official entity like the post office, a municipal, cantonal, or federal department, or your local police – never from the Nigerian royal family.
Typically too, they never ask you to pay money on-the-spot; if they do, that’s a sign that someone’s trying to pull a fast one on you.
These, on the other hand, are legitimate and most common summons in Switzerland:
Debt enforcement letters
Hopefully, you will never receive one, but if you do, you can’t just ignore it.
It will be brought to your door by the mail delivery person.
Signing it doesn’t mean you owe anyone money; it just acknowledges that you received the summons.
You will then have 20 days to pay the bill or file an objection – either in person at the debt enforcement office in your municipality or online.
Court summons
This will also be delivered to you via postal service in case you are supposed to appear in court as a plaintiff, defendant, or witness.
Here too, you should acknowledge receipt by signing the letter, because appearing in court when officially summoned is a legal obligation.
Somewhat related, but a bit different is the third type of summons: the one from police
It is an official order to appear at a specific time and location for questioning or an investigation.
In this situation too, you are required to respond.
Know that while most of these summonses are delivered to your door, sometimes they will be affixed to your mailbox.
And they don’t necessarily signal that you are in any kind of trouble.
In a recent social media post, for instance, a person said they found a police summons affixed to their mailbox. It turned out, however, that they didn’t pick up a registered letter from the post office, and it ended up at a local police station.
If you are presented with any letters or notices by unknown individuals, don’t sign anything until you find out whether they are legitimate or just another scam attempt.
What can happen if you refuse to react to (that is, sign) official summons?
If you don’t understand what the paper is about, ask whoever delivers it to explain.
But you can’t just choose not to sign it, hoping it will go away – it won’t, but this refusal will lead to legal consequences, such as (depending on what exactly you are refusing to sign) fines and other penalties including, in extreme cases, jail time.
