QR code scams

29 March 2023

Next time you scan a QR code on a sticker or poster, be careful. 

Criminals can place fake QR codes on top of legitimate ones at facilities like electric vehicle charge points and parking payment stations. They link to bogus websites that try to collect the user’s bank details, passwords and other data for fraudulent purposes. 

The use of QR codes grew in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic when people started using them to place orders in restaurants and coffee shops to minimise human contact. 

There have been instances of victims unwittingly downloading malware which can encrypt their device and lock it until a ransom is paid. 

Speaking during a recent webinar organised by Neighbourhood Watch Scotland on scams, fraud and digital footprint awareness, PC Katarzyna Owczarek from the Cybercrime Harm Prevention Team said that criminals could also embed fake codes in text messages and emails pretending to come from organisations like HMRC, banks or the BBC licensing department. 

She said that the recipient should not be panicked into acting hastily and to perhaps call the organisation concerned to seek confirmation of authenticity. 

A QR code reader app from a reputable source should always be used, particularly one including antivirus protection, and codes on posters, documents and flyers should be checked for evidence of tampering. 

Photo: Wilfried Pohnke