QR code phishing, or ‘Quishing’ is becoming an increasingly
common threat, and often imitate real sites to trick victims
into entering personal and payment information. Fraudsters
were observed placing QR stickers on parking meters, for
example, to trick victims into entering their payment
details into fake parking apps.
The majority of QR codes are nefarious! If a QR code with
nefarious intent is scanned, it could potentially lead to
harmful consequences.
If you scan a malicious QR code, avoid clicking links, close
the browser, and check for unauthorized downloads or
actions. Run a security scan, delete suspicious files, and
change passwords if credentials were entered. Monitor
accounts for unusual activity and contact your bank for
unauthorized transactions. Prevent issues by scanning QR
codes only from trusted sources, using secure QR scanner
apps, and disabling automatic actions like downloads or
payments. Always stay cautious, especially with unsolicited
QR codes.
sam.wormley@icloud.com