The 7-Point Checklist: How to Avoid Burning Your Paws. Made with Flux1.ai by Gary Owl.
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The 7-Point Checklist: How to Recognize Questionable Providers in the Digital Jungle

How To Avoid Burning Your Paws

By Gary Owl | May 27, 2025 | Update: June 23, 2025 / Cybersecurity, Consumer Protection, Switzerland; Austria – This article was created using AI.

Concerned about online scams and cybercrime? This updated checklist helps you recognize questionable providers in the digital world, where risks are increasing daily despite Switzerland’s reputation for safety and reliability.

Updated June 23, 2025: I really don’t want to be rude, but this story is developing in a really interesting way. Also, this article has been well read, so I’m very happy to give a quick update.

After I published this article on 27 May 2025, expressing my personal doubts about the reputability of zurearnbit.com, it seems that the company has recently moved to Vienna, Austria. As we remember, the company was apparently last based in Lenk, Switzerland, but with the Belgian dialling code +32. +43 is now the correct country code, but not the city code for Vienna, which would correctly be +43 1.

I would like to point out to our dear Austrian neighbours that I have justified doubts about this company. The up to CHF 350 per hour that the site promised was already unrealistically high. Now it is up to EUR 330 per hour in the euro zone, which does not exactly speak in favour of familiarity with the immediate surroundings. What already seems too high in Switzerland is even more of a promise in the eurozone.

I personally remain very sceptical and hope you enjoy reading on!

With warmest regards to Austria!
,
Yours, Gary Owl

Published May 27, 2025: Switzerland is known for its safety, neutrality, and reliability – but different rules apply online. New risks lurk every day, and the number of reported cybercrime cases has nearly tripled in recent years. Whether fake shops, phishing emails, or dubious investment platforms: scammers’ methods are becoming more sophisticated and their deceptions more professional.

But how can you, as a consumer, recognize whether an online offer is legitimate? And what should you do if you have doubts?
This article will teach you, step by step, how to check a website’s trustworthiness – and how to protect yourself if the worst happens.

Utilising the 7-Point Checklist below can significantly aid you in identifying legitimate offers and avoiding scams.

Cyber Fraud in Switzerland: The Current Situation

Digitalization brings many advantages, but also new dangers. According to the Federal Statistical Office, over 59,000 cases of internet crime were reported in 2024 – an increase of 195% since 2020. Private individuals are particularly affected, often falling for seemingly attractive online offers.

Notable trends:

  • Phishing and fake online shops are sharply increasing.
  • Most fraud attempts target private individuals.
  • The sums lost per case are rising, often several thousand francs.

Quantitative explosion (2020–2025):

2020: 20,000 cases

2024: 59,034 cases (+195%)

Phishing: +56% (2023–2024)

Identity theft: +105%

Hotspots of digital crime:

CantonCases/100,000Main Offenses
Zurich1,240Fake shops, crypto scams
Geneva983Phishing, CEO fraud
Ticino872Investment fraud

Source: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home.html

Future Outlook: Trends 2026–2030

  • Quantum phishing: quantum computers could crack passwords in seconds.
  • Metaverse scams: virtual real estate fraud in digital worlds like Decentraland.
  • AI-generated lawsuits: automated legal threats and warnings via AI.

Case Study: zurearnbit.com – Anatomy of a Suspicious Case

Who is zurearnbit.com? What does the site offer – and who is it aimed at?

Many people wish for more flexible working hours and the ability to work comfortably from home. That’s exactly what zurearnbit.com promises:

  • Part-time and full-time positions with “daily payouts”
  • Up to CHF 350 per day for simple online tasks
  • Flexible working hours, various activities such as surveys, product testing, or online shopping

Excerpt from zurearnbit.com, accessed May 27, 2025:

“Grow your business with our broad range of services – including marketing, surveys, reviews, analysis, product testing, and sales promotion. Contact us to learn about our transparent methods and gain deeper insight into our way of working. Flexible working hours from home. Daily payout after each completed task – up to CHF 350.”

This sounds tempting at first glance. But is it really realistic to earn CHF 70 per hour for simple online tasks? And how transparent is the offer really?
On closer inspection, it becomes clear:

  • There are no details about those responsible, no legal notice, no specific contact address, and no independent reviews. The phone area code is from Belgium, the location of the company is Lenk, Switzerland, which is unspecific and illogic.
  • The site is very new and is rated as potentially risky by ScamAdviser.
Bildschirmfoto 2025 05 29 um 14.18.22
The 7-Point Checklist: How to Recognize Questionable Providers in the Digital Jungle

Source Screenshot: https://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/zurearnbit.com

Everyday Tips: How to Protect Yourself

  • Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
  • Always check the legal notice and contact options (adress/ phone number/ email).
  • Use secure payment methods with buyer protection.
  • Install up-to-date security software and browser plugins like ScamAdviser.
  • If in doubt, ask friends or family before transferring money.

🛡️ The 7-Point Checklist: How to Identify Questionable Providers

With this checklist, you can quickly and easily check whether an online offer is trustworthy:

CriterionLegitimate OfferRed Flags (zurearnbit.com)Tool/Link
Domain Age>2 years6 weeksICANN Lookup
SSL CertificateEV/OV certificateFree, short validitySSL Labs Test
Legal NoticeComplete, traceableMissingZefix
ReviewsIndependent, variedNoneTrustpilot
Social MediaVerified, activeNot presentSocial Blade
Regulatory WarningsNot listedNot listed (but also not confirmed)FINMA Warning List
TransparencyClear company detailsNo details—

URL Forensics: Check the address bar for typos, e.g., “arnazon.de” instead of “amazon.de”. Use ICANN Lookup – if the site is less than 6 months old, be skeptical.

SSL Certificate Check: Right-click → “Check security” → Certificate details. Be careful with free certificates like “Let’s Encrypt” with short validity.

Reverse Image Search: Drag product images into Google Lens – if they appear on other sites, that’s a warning sign.

AI Scam Detector Tools: Use Norton Genie or CheckPhish to check links and screenshots.

Social Media Reality Check: Real companies have verified social media profiles with interaction and history. Search for them on Social Blade.

🔍 Technical Background Analysis (optional for tech enthusiasts)

If you want to dig deeper, check these technical aspects:

Domain registration: According to whois.com, zurearnbit.com was registered on April 10, 2025 via GoDaddy.

Bildschirmfoto 2025 05 29 um 14.35.31
The 7-Point Checklist: How to Recognize Questionable Providers in the Digital Jungle

Source Screenshot: https://www.whois.com/whois/zurearnbit.com

Hosting: The site runs on ServerFreak.biz – a provider that, according to ScamAdviser, also hosts other suspicious sites.

SSL certificate: A free Let’s Encrypt certificate with a short validity is typical for short-lived projects.

“Author: admin“: The author of the content is listed as “admin”, which is typical for unfinished or hastily created websites.

Bildschirmfoto 2025 05 29 um 14.30.13
The 7-Point Checklist: How to Recognize Questionable Providers in the Digital Jungle

Source Screenshot: https://zurearnbit.com/author/admin/

“Category: Uncategorized“: The only available category is “Uncategorized”, which also indicates a lack of content structure

Bildschirmfoto 2025 05 29 um 14.39.47
The 7-Point Checklist: How to Recognize Questionable Providers in the Digital Jungle

Source Screenshot: https://zurearnbit.com/category/uncategorized

Content: The site mainly contains placeholder text and little substance. The only blog post is a standard WordPress “Hello World!” entry.

Direct access: You can visit the site yourself at https://zurearnbit.com and check if anything has changed since the last analysis.

Detailed Results of the zurearnbit.com Analysis

  • Domain age: Only a few weeks old – typical of many dubious offers.
  • Security rating: ScamAdviser rates the site as “somewhat low risk” but warns of several indicators (young domain age, lack of transparency, suspicious server environment).
  • No social media presence: No verified social media profiles or genuine user reviews.
  • Unrealistic promises: The claims about earning potential and supposedly over 3,800 active candidates contradict the low visitor numbers (very low Tranco rank).
  • No mention by FINMA or in the commercial register: No entry for zurearnbit.com on the FINMA warning list or in the Zefix commercial register.

Frequently Abused Providers

Not only GoDaddy is used for dubious sites. Other major providers also regularly appear in rankings of the most abused registrars and hosts:

ProviderTypeNotable for
Gname.com Pte. Ltd.Registrar#1 for spam/malware domains
GoDaddy.com, LLCRegistrar/Host#2 for spam/malware domains
NameSilo, LLCRegistrar#3
GMO Internet GroupRegistrar#4

NameCheap, Inc.		Registrar/Host#5
Cloudflare, Inc.CDN/Registrar#10, often used as reverse proxy
Freenom (until 2024)RegistrarFormer leader for free phishing domains

See more at Spamhaus.

🚨 What to Do If You Suspect Fraud?

  • Save evidence: Take screenshots, save emails and payment receipts.
  • Block your credit card: Call the Swiss emergency number 116 116 immediately.
  • Report it: Use the NCSC incident report form or the SECO complaint portal.
  • Request a chargeback: Contact your bank with all evidence. A sample letter is provided below.

Swiss Contact Points for Internet Fraud

OrganizationPurposeContact/Link
NCSCNational reporting pointCyber incident report
SECOConsumer protectionComplaint portal
Cantonal PoliceFile a criminal reportCantonal police websites
FINMAFinancial oversightWarning list
Card blockingEmergency numberEmergency number of your card center

Sample Chargeback Letter

Subject: Chargeback for fraudulent transaction No. [XYZ]

Dear Sir or Madam,

On [date], a payment of [amount] was made to [recipient] without my consent.
I request an immediate chargeback in accordance with Art. 47 of the Federal Act on Banks and Savings Banks.

Documentation attached:

  • Screenshots of the transaction
  • ScamAdviser report [link]
  • NCSC report confirmation [number]

Kind regards,
[Name]

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I suspect fraud?
Save evidence, block your card, report the case to NCSC and SECO, and request a chargeback if needed.

Can I sue a provider if I lost money?
Yes – collect evidence and contact a lawyer specializing in internet law. The chances of success depend on international traceability.

The analysis shows: zurearnbit.com displays numerous objective warning signs, including a very young domain age, lack of transparency, unrealistic earning promises, and a suspicious technical infrastructure. These features are typical of risky or dubious offers.

Important: We cannot and do not want to definitively judge whether this is a case of fraud. However, the facts strongly suggest extreme caution. Our recommendation: Do not make payments or provide personal data unless the provider’s legitimacy is clearly established.

Stay alert, share your knowledge – and help protect yourself and others from digital traps!

Your Gary Owl

References

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