The police warn of a new scam involving QR codes. The so-called “quishing” is spreading more and more throughout the region.
The police in Aachen and the region are warning of a rapidly spreading fraud scam. In so-called “quishing,” criminals sometimes steal large sums of money using false QR codes. The codes are often deceptively real and are posted by fraudsters in public places.
The police have already discovered false QR codes on conventional e-charging stations, traffic tickets or on supposed letters from banks. The fraudsters often cover the “correct” QR codes with false ones in order to steal large sums of money online. The problem: Conventional security software usually does not detect “quishing”.
When “quishing,” the scanned QR codes often open dangerous links that give fraudsters access to passwords or other sensitive data on victims’ smartphones. Because they are treated as photos, antivirus programs do not automatically scan them, unlike emails or attachments.
The police advise: “To do this, use an app that displays the link after scanning and does not open it directly so that you can check it.” In principle, officials advise only scanning QR codes that appear legitimate and have not been pasted over other codes.
“Quishing” is becoming increasingly widespread in North Rhine-Westphalia. A few days ago, the Cologne police issued a warning to the public because of the increasing number of cases. Cases have also become more common in the Aachen city region in the past. The police have not provided any information about the sums stolen so far.
If you have become a victim of “quishing”, the police recommend that you file a report immediately. The investigators recommend that, in an emergency, you quickly file a report online. In addition, the bank concerned should be informed of the fraud as quickly as possible. The police also strongly recommend using the emergency number 116 116 to block checking or credit cards.
