FBI warns criminals are stealing money with fake QR codes
The FBI issued a warning this week that cybercriminals are stealing money through phony QR codes.
The public advisory said the fraudulent codes direct people to websites where financial data and account log in information can be hacked and payments rerouted without the users’ knowledge.
More than two dozen parking stations in Austin, Texas, were recently found to have fake QR code stickers.
“People attempting to pay for parking using those QR codes may have been directed to a fraudulent website and submitted payment to a fraudulent vendor,” the Austin Police Department said previously.
The FBI said people should be extra cautious and check the website a QR code sends them to and that the only way to make sure your are downloading a legitimate application is to do so through your phone’s app store.
“While QR codes are not malicious in nature, it is important to practice caution when entering financial information as well as providing payment through a site navigated to through a QR code. Law enforcement cannot guarantee the recovery of lost funds after transfer,” the bureau said.
The FBI said those who may be the victims of fraud due to a QR code to report the incident to their local field office and to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
