ALERT SUMMARY: The FBI and ABC News have recently issued warnings to consumers that criminals are increasingly using fake QR codes on parking meters, menus, and other public areas to defraud consumers. They are reporting that the users are taken to fake payment sites, and they are concerned that ransomware could also be delivered this way.
While the pandemic made QR codes more essential with touchless transactions, they can also present unforeseen dangers. When you scan a QR code, do you really know where and what that QR code is going to do? Well, more and more, enterprising criminals are using QR codes in ever more surprising and nefarious ways.
QR codes are being used everywhere for things like making purchases, returns, restaurant menus, and connecting to wifi. Consumers have embraced the use of QR codes with the ease of use with just pointing their mobile cameras at the QR code picture. Criminals are taking notice of this trend and are adding QR codes to use in their arsenal, too. With all the increased use, it is more important than ever to understand the information presented by QR code. The concern is that QR codes have very little if any information readable by the consumer until you point your camera at it. In many cases, there is no indication of who generated the QR code, where it will take you, whether the destination is secure, or whether you will have a chance to exit.
What is a QR code you may ask? Essentially a QR code is a picture of computer-generated information embedded that only a computer or device can read that goes to some place, some service or thing on the internet. The Quick Response (QR) code was invented by a Japanese company in the 1990’s for car inventory control. QR codes are similar to the standard UPC barcodes in that these generated pictures are scanned but what’s different is the QR code can contain a lot more information and can take some digital action when scanned. This action could be purchasing tickets, connecting to WIFI, accessing an online account – the possibilities are extensive.
Anyone can generate a QR code then post it online or print in real life. Criminals can generate a QR code to take unsuspecting consumers to a fake website or application. It would be as easy as printing a QR code and setting it out in a public area or swapping out a legitimate QR code with a dangerous one like covering the bank’s legitimate QR code printed on a fake pamphlet that takes a consumer to what they think is their banking website prompting them for their credentials.
QR codes have become much more advanced than they were in the past using information from a consumer’s device like their location and default language. This allows legitimate business ways to provide more convenience to the consumer but can also be used by hackers for malicious intent so the consumer should be cautious when using them.
Next Steps - For additional details and Step-By Step Instructions on how to protect and respond to this Alert, follow the link below.
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