Share Freely.  This is real and dangerous.

You wouldn’t go to a website you don’t trust would you?

Well QR codes just take to websites with your phone so be very cautious what what you scan, even menus at restaurants.

QR code scams are out of control

Imagine losing $15,000 in just a few seconds. It happened to a woman who scanned a QR code to take a survey — and instead downloaded malware that drained her bank account.

QR codes are those black-and-white dot-based images you scan to open websites, menus, apps, you name it. But they’re also a clever way in for scammers.

Here’s one of their most dastardly tricks

QR codes date back to the ’90s but exploded in popularity during the pandemic. Some restaurants still use QR codes for menus. One study found 84% of smartphone users have scanned a QR code at least once, and about a third scanned one a week.

⛽️ Say you’re at the gas station

You see a sign branded with the gas station logo that you can scan for a discount. What you didn’t realize is someone covered up the real QR code with a sticker leading to a bogus site. Thieves are smart enough to make sites look like ones you’d expect to visit.

Just like that, you handed over personal info or even payment details.

🅿️ The same trick is used on parking meters …

And in paid parking lots, at banks and in emails. Since you can’t see where a QR code’s URL leads before you snap a pic, you must take extra steps to protect yourself.

At a meter that asks you to scan to pay? First, look for another option. Can you visit your town or city’s website directly? If not, go to the official website first, then scan the QR code. Compare and see if the site you were directed to looks similar or way off.

🚩 Pro tip: Run your fingers over a QR code before you scan it. Can you tell if a sticker was placed over the top of the original code? That’s a big red flag.