Don't Scan Every QR Code You See, Unless You Want Somebody To Hack Into Your Phone

Image: Google Play

All kinds of scam tactics are starting to pop up everywhere and people often fall prey to these malicious groups quicker than they can escape.

The latest bunch of scammers that have come into the picture are using quick response (QR) codes to steal information, as reported by Bernama.

According to Quann Malaysia, a cyber security services provider formerly known as e-Cop Malaysia, these criminals would cover a business' original codes with their own fake ones with the intention to steal your data.

Another scenario is that the scammers could send viruses or hack into your smartphone to retrieve sensitive information, such as bank account details, passwords, mobile wallet and more.

And the scariest part, some might even hack into your mobile phone's camera to spy on you!

In case you didn't know, QR codes are black and white squares you normally see on websites, advertisements, restaurants or retail outlets which you can scan using your smartphone to retrieve certain type of information from a business.

For those who are always on the lookout to grab every chance fir a discount or promotion, some companies even share QR codes that unlock as vouchers or promo codes.

However, the problem is all QR codes practically look the same to us, so trying to differentiate between a real and fake one located outside a store would be almost impossible!

Nevertheless, if you're a frequent QR code scanner, not all is lost. Quann Malaysia has listed some precautions that we can take, as reported by Bernama:

• Look out for possible signs of tampering, such as stickers.
• Pay attention to pixelated images, logos and spelling or grammar mistakes.
• Use a secure QR code scanner that can alerts you about malicious websites and show the actual URL before scanning.
• Do not key in any personal information after scanning a code.
• Think twice before scanning a code in public places, such as bus stops, transportation depots or city centres.

Besides users, merchants should also constantly check on their posters, advertisements or QR codes to make sure no third party has tampered with them.

Since Malaysia is slowly opening doors to more mobile payment platforms, it is now more important than ever for all parties to take the necessary precautions.

Let's make it our 2018 to not fall into any more scams!

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