After email and SMS scams, QR code scams are on the rise. This December 6, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US competition and consumer watchdog, publishes a warning about the use of these “bar codes” 2.0.
The US agency evokes scenarios identical to those used in other scams. For example, sending a QR code for urgent scanning, supposedly to unlock the delivery of a package or to secure a connection to an online account after a third-party connection attempt.
Alerts in France
Each time, the goal is the same: convince the victim to urgently scan the QR code to redirect them to a fraudulent site. This may invite the user to provide sensitive information (usernames, passwords, banking details), but also trigger the immediate and automatic installation of malware.
Scam attempts with QR codes are far from limited to American territory. In France, the Seine-et-Marne gendarmerie recently mentioned similar scams in May 2023.
This time, QR Codes were printed on fake tickets and placed on motorists’ windshields to invite them to pay a supposed fine. Also in this case the operation consisted of recording their bank details and then stealing money from them.
Given the increasing use of QR codes for malicious purposes, the reflex should be the same as for dubious links received by SMS or email: in case of doubt, it is imperative to never click/scan the QR code and connect to the website of the service in question, to access your customer area and consult pending actions.
Source: BFM TV
