FBI says QR codes are the latest way cybercriminals are trying to steal your information
Posted January 25, 2022 on FOX59
The FBI says cybercriminals are trying to steal your financial information through QR codes, bar codes you can scan on your phone to launch a website. These codes have become increasingly more popular during the pandemic thanks to their ability to offer touch-free menus at restaurants and bars– but it’s the latest way cybercriminals are targeting your information.
Scammers are using fraudulent QR codes to direct people to malicious sites in order to steal your personal information.
Cybersecurity experts say you should check the websites that QR codes direct you to carefully and only input your personal information if you’ve checked the source thoroughly.
FOX 59 spoke with GuidePoint Security’s Victor Wieczorek, VP of Application Security and Threat Attack Simulation:
“It’s so difficult for a human to tell a fake QR code from a normal QR code. It’s hard for us to distinguish between the two but I think there are some things that we can look for, right? If there’s some sticker across the menu that looks like it was slapped on there or put there temporarily, that’s certainly a warning sign something that people should look out for.”
Watch the clip HERE.