Most Internet users are familiar with scams online that they should beware of. Phishing e-mails trying to steal account information, banking sites that are designed exactly as they are trying to access bank accounts and credit card information, stores that send fake products not only on e-commerce sites but also on social platforms such as Instagram… Now also fake QR codesThe new favorite of scammers is QR codes. Since December 2021, QR codes have been found on public parking meters in San Antonio, Texas. The person pulls out their phone, scans the barcode and pays for the parking spot. It’s a quick and simple process, but prone to scams. Scammers place their own QR codes on public parking meters across the city, and drivers who use them to make payments are actually sending their money or sensitive financial account information to the scammer.
Other major cities in Texas such as Austin and Huston are known to have similar parking meter scams.
What should I do to avoid being scammed?
Although QR codes are a small part of the increasing number of scams on the internet, the technology has now become so accessible that anyone can make their own QR codes. So, what should you pay attention to in order not to be scammed with fake QR codes?
Just as you do not immediately click on the link in an e-mail or text message, approach QR codes in this way. All the QR code does is direct you to a link.
Double-check the source of the QR code and the URL it’s redirecting you to, just as you would when you receive an email with a link. If you have a bad feeling about the page the QR code is pointing to, type the URL yourself. You can open these links without a barcode.
Be vigilant when scanning QR codes containing advertisements and announcements; The scammer can easily paste their own QR code on the QR code.
QR codes can be easily read with phones’ cameras without the need for a third-party app, but QR scanner apps for Android and iPhone, such as Kaspersky QR Scanner, are recommended as they have built-in security features.
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