Pay Close Attention: Fake QR Codes Lurk at Every Turn

(Patria) - From receipts you get in every store or restaurant, to TV shows and large billboards, QR codes have become one of the simplest ways to share information with a large number of people.

Numerous restaurants and cafes have decided to save on printing paper menus and instead created a digital one accessed by scanning a QR code, writes Zimo.hr.

However, as QR codes become more popular, cybercriminals and scammers are increasingly using them for their own purposes.

Let's recall, a QR code is a type of two-dimensional barcode that looks like a square filled with black and white squares.

It was invented in 1994 in Japan, and its original purpose was to label and sort car parts more easily. Today, it is used for everything - from advertising to checking the validity of receipts.

It is precisely the fact that they are used everywhere that is exploited by those whose sole intention is to deceive someone.

According to computer security experts, any QR code can be used to redirect citizens to a malicious website or to install a malicious application.

And that can lead to identity theft, as well as financial data (and then money from bank accounts).

So how do you recognize a "real" QR code and how do you recognize a "fake" one?

If you scan a QR code in a public place - for example, in a parking garage to pay, check if there is an additional sticker over the original one. This should be your first warning that something is wrong.

If you scan a QR code, read the link before clicking on it. If it looks suspicious, it's better not to click on it.

Look on the sticker to see if there is an alternative way to access that service - such as a website you can type in or a phone number you can call directly.

Also, QR codes often appear in spam emails under the guise of a receipt confirmation or a link to a "unique offer".

Avoid scanning such codes, and if you think a QR code is legitimate, before scanning it, hover your mouse cursor over the image and see which page it leads you to.