By RecOsint | Dec 1, 2025
You scan without thinking. Since 2020, QR codes are everywhere: Restaurant menus, parking meters, and payment terminals. Hackers know this. They stopped sending links; now they send Images. This is called Quishing (QR Phishing).
The most common attack is low-tech but effective. – The method: Scammers print fake QR stickers and paste them OVER legitimate ones. – The Spot: Parking meters and public charging stations are prime targets. – Result: You think you are paying for parking; you are actually handing your credit card to a thief.
Bypassing the Firewalls – Email Filters: Security software reads text and checks links for viruses. – The Trick: A QR code is just an Image. The filter cannot "read" where it goes. – Success: Malicious email lands straight in your Inbox, not Spam.
– Preview First: Most phone cameras show the URL preview before opening. If it looks strange (e.g., bit.ly or random numbers), DO NOT CLICK. – Check the Sticker: Feel the QR code. Is it a sticker pasted over the original?
Convenience is the enemy of security. – Rule: If an email asks you to scan a code to "Verify Account," it is a scam. – Action: Alert others.