The number of QR phishing attempts soared from 0.8% in 2022 to 12.4% in 2024, according to a recent Phishing Threat Trends ...

The city of Redondo Beach, just south of Los Angeles, reportedly has at least 150 of these fake QR codes, according to local police, with a high concentration in the areas of Esplanade and Riviera ...

So, I reiterate: you really shouldn’t scan random QR codes. And, if possible, tell your less tech-savvy friends and relatives the same thing.

A seemingly legitimate email from an office scanner with a PDF file attached. (Image credit: Sophos) When scanned, the QR code directed the employee to a Microsoft 365 sign-in box, where the ...

QR codes have become increasingly popular since the COVID-19 pandemic, ... The FTC warned the public not to scan random QR codes and to be suspicious of unsolicited communications containing them.

QR codes are designed with alignment and scaling features, not to mention checksums and significant redundancy. They have to be, because you’re taking photos of them with your potato-camera w… ...

The trouble is, with QR codes, you may not be able to tell the difference between a malicious code and a legitimate one until you've scanned it. But there are a few ways you can avoid fakes.

But really, anytime there is a QR code, the tell-tale sign on if it's real is in the details. "You can scan the code, but you need to pay close attention to what that URL is.