Law enforcement in a number of U.S. cities have started warning people to be wary of QR codes on parking meters. They’ve reportedly encountered a rash of scammers sticking these codes to meters to make them look like a way to pay for your time parked in the spot. However, they lead to fraudulent sites that will steal your payment information once you enter it.
What’s the latest scam involving QR codes?
Answer: Putting ones that lead to fraudulent sites on parking meters.
The popularity of quick response (QR) codes in the U.S. has grown rapidly over the course of the pandemic, as people discovered they were an easy, contact-free way to make payments with a smartphone. But as with almost anything that involves technology, scammers have found a way to use this to their benefit.
Law enforcement in a number of U.S. cities have started warning people to be wary of QR codes on parking meters. They’ve reportedly encountered a rash of scammers sticking these codes to meters to make them look like a way to pay for your time parked in the spot. However, they lead to fraudulent sites that will steal your payment information once you enter it.
The best way to avoid these scams is to instead look for directions to an official app, which is how many cities process smartphone-based payments for parking meters. You should also check the URL of the site a QR code sends you to for misspellings or other signs that it’s fake.
Law enforcement in a number of U.S. cities have started warning people to be wary of QR codes on parking meters. They’ve reportedly encountered a rash of scammers sticking these codes to meters to make them look like a way to pay for your time parked in the spot. However, they lead to fraudulent sites that will steal your payment information once you enter it.
