{"id":1517,"date":"2023-10-24T03:59:26","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T19:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/2023\/10\/24\/dont-get-caught-out-by-fake-qr-codes\/"},"modified":"2024-06-29T17:59:01","modified_gmt":"2024-06-29T09:59:01","slug":"dont-get-caught-out-by-fake-qr-codes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/dont-get-caught-out-by-fake-qr-codes\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Get Caught out by Fake QR Codes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Police in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province arrested two suspects who cheated people out of over 10,000 RMB (about 1,470 US dollars), by replacing over 20 downtown merchants\u2019 QR codes, according to local media.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Police in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province arrested two suspects who cheated people out of over 10,000 RMB (about 1,470 US dollars), by replacing over 20 downtown merchants<\/a>\u2019 QR codes, according to local media.<\/p>\n

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The seized suspects were captured carrying over 314 QR code stickers generated through fake IDs and cellphone numbers. Both suspects admitted going around shops, stalls and restaurants as one of them talked to the business owners as a distraction while the other replaced QR codes at the counter front.<\/p>\n

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The crime was hardly noticed until one of the busy, small-scale shop owners found he\u2019d lost up to 2,000 RMB (some 300 US dollars).<\/p>\n

Crimes that make use of QR codes are not limited to such stealing from transactions. QR codes block readable information from its users, allowing scammers to embed malware links that can compromise one\u2019s\u00a0private information.<\/p>\n

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In the above case, the technology is extremely user-friendly and very widely applied in China and elsewhere in Asia. Both\u00a0Wechat Wallet and Alipay use QR codes to finish online payment processing.<\/p>\n

But the speedy convenience was achieved at a cost of blanking necessary information in any given transaction or information exchange.<\/p>\n

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How fraudulent QR codes can appear:<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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1. Scan To Pay Your Penalty<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Worse still than getting a traffic fine, some cheaters counterfeit \u2018traffic citations\u2019 with a QR code on it to trick drivers into paying the \u2018penalty\u2019!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn to compare the real and fake, or ask the official office before you scan the QR code if you doubt the ‘penalty’ receipt.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0We Want Your Support<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Nearby metro stations and bus stations, scammers are carrying little boards with QR codes on them, asking passersby to scan, saying:<\/p>\n

“Please support our start-up business by scanning code, or Scan the code to take part in our company\u2019s activity\u201d.<\/p>\n

Not every charity is fake, but a formal charity will have proof or a certificate etc. You may ask them for such proof before you scan to contribute your support<\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n

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3. Scan And Get A Gift<\/strong><\/p>\n

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When walking in place like market, you must have seen this: scan our QR code and you will get a gift! Actually, it may be just a marketing<\/a> strategy to promote products.<\/p>\n

Check the QR code that you scan, or ask the gift shopkeeper whether the code interface is real or not. Secondly, if a\u00a0personal message is needed before you log into the interface, you should have second thought, are they trying to steal your personal message or hack your money?<\/p>\n

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4. QR code covered by criminal sticker\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like the above case, QR codes could be covered by other stickers.\u00a0They can be seen everywhere: on billboards, goods exhibited in stores, on websites, various types of tickets and coupons\u2026the list goes on and on.<\/p>\n

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Try to\u00a0scrape the QR code\uff0cif you find there is\u00a0a sticker, stop\u00a0scanning, go and ask the one who is responsible for this QR code for an explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. QR code containing a\u00a0virus<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Cyber-attackers might use these codes to redirect you to websites (via malicious links) that ask you to download malicious applications containing a virus or other type of malware; these in turn, can:<\/p>\n

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– Make your calendar, contacts and credit card information (if you shop or bank online using your smartphone) available to cybercriminals.<\/p>\n

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– Ask you for your Google or Facebook password \u2013 many apps are integrated with various social networks; as a result, some users may unsuspectingly enter their info.<\/p>\n

– Track your location.<\/p>\n

– Send SMS to a premium number, racking up your phone bill<\/p>\n

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A popular attack via QR code took place in Russia last autumn, and involved a Trojan disguised as a mobile app called Jimm. Once installed, \u201cJimm\u201d started to send a series of expensive text messages ($6 each), racking up unwanted charges.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Viruses \u2013 use common sense. If a link requiring you to click or a form pops up, asking you to\u00a0fullfill\u00a0personal details, take caution as it may be a\u00a0virus.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Care about your mobile security? Stay away from malicious QR codes!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Use a mobile QR code-\/barcode-scanning app that previews URLs.<\/strong>\u00a0Avoid scanning suspicious codes and links that don\u2019t seem to match the ads they\u2019re incorporated in; also avoid shortened links.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Don\u2019t scan QR codes in the form of stickers placed randomly on walls.\u00a0<\/strong>QR codes can be generated by anybody and stuck on walls in public places. And in today\u2019s QR code hype, scammers think someone\u2019s bound to scan such a code, just for curiosity. They can also stick malicious QR codes over legit ones on a billboard. So look at a QR code placed in public places closely before you scan it.<\/p>\n

3. Be extra careful if your smartphone works on the Android mobile operating system.\u00a0<\/strong>Android is an open platform, which means that its source code can be examined by criminals and exploited easily when they find a weakness in, say, the Android browser. That\u2019s why most malicious apps transmitted via QR codes target the Android-based smartphones.\u00a0 So, make sure your Android browser is always up-to-date and only scan QR codes from trusted sources.<\/p>\n

4. Install a mobile security app right away.\u00a0<\/strong>Apps like: 360 save guard, QQ save center, Baidu save guard etc.. They can protect you from viruses or personal messages.<\/p>\n

5. Use your common sense and scan only QR codes from trusted sources.\u00a0<\/strong>Be careful when you are scanning a code on the street without even verifying its source. While scanning a code featured in a magazine or news<\/a>paper article might be considered safe, you just can\u2019t be too sure when it comes to QR codes found on posters on the street, or flyers being handed out.<\/p>\n

For example:<\/p>\n

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Provided that a QR code generated by WeChat, it has its own feature.<\/p>\n

What kind of malicious QR codes have you encountered?<\/p>\n

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