Beware: Officials Warn Of QR Code Hijacking
QR codes are popping up everywhere and making our lives a breeze. They’re like those secret passageways that lead you straight to exclusive discounts, event details, or that hilarious dog video. You can find these pixelated squares on product labels, restaurant menus, and even tattooed on people’s foreheads. Well, maybe not that far yet.
While QR codes bring convenience to our fingertips, we can’t ignore the shady side of the story. Some sneaky scammers have figured out how to slap their own twisted codes on top of the legit ones. They trick us into visiting suspicious websites and possibly exposing our personal info. As much as we love convenience, it’s important to double-check before we scan. Make sure you stay safe and avoid becoming the unwitting victims of these digital scammers.
QR Code Hijacking
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has extended the alert issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding QR code hijacking. Criminals are now placing malicious QR codes on top of legitimate ones, redirecting users to phishing websites designed to steal personal information.
“QR codes are widely used in so many different ways that it’s not surprising bad actors would develop the means to use them to scam us,” says Nessel. “This is another area where we need to protect our personal and financial information by practicing caution when using these convenient codes.”
While QR codes are not inherently dangerous, they can lead unsuspecting users to websites that engage in data theft, malware downloads, and the infiltration of financial apps, email accounts, and social media platforms. Unlike links and attachments, fraudulent QR codes cannot be easily detected by standard security software, making users vulnerable to phishing attempts.
People who suspect they have fallen victim to fraudulent QR codes are advised to report the incident to the nearest FBI field office, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the attorney general’s office.
Additional information can be found on the official website of the state of Michigan.
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