Attention: Fraudsters use fake QR codes on parking machines!
Attention: Fraudsters use fake QR codes on parking machines!
Celle, Deutschland - In the past few months, a new fraud stitch is spreading in Germany: Quishing. This is a perfidious variant of the well -known phishing that targets particularly gullible drivers. The police and the Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office raise the alarm and urge the fake QR codes that are glued to parking ticket machines via the real QR codes. Users who believe that they are easily paying with their cell phone are directed to fraudulent websites that require the entry of sensitive data. So there have been considerable financial damage, reports merkur.de
In several cities, including Bad Harzburg, Goslar, Hanover and Kassel, overliven QR codes were discovered. This not only alarmed the police, but also the ADAC, which also warns of this dangerous stitch. "Quishing" is the term used for the abuse of QR codes in this context. Fraudsters often use well -known logos to gain the trust of the users and make them reveal their payment information, according to the investigators.
How does the fraud work?
The principle of quishing is simple: a criminal sticks a fake QR code over the real. Anyone who scans this is usually forwarded to a website that looks very similar to the originals. The pages used require the entry of payment data, usually under the pretext of paying a fee or buying a ticket. This happens not only on parking ticket machines, but also on electric charging stations and in public transport, such as the Consumer center reported.
The fact that users often cannot see where they are being managed when scanning a QR code. "Not all smartphones indicate the information of the QR code before opening," explains a spokesman for the consumer center. This makes the stitch all the more dangerous.
precautionary measures and tips
- Check before scanning whether the QR code is intact and has no deductible stickers.
- Use apps that can display the QR cod's information before opening.
- For suspicious information or cover letter, you should contact the sender directly, but do not use the telephone number specified in the letter.
- In doubt, you should do without cashless payments and consider cash payment instead.
- those affected should inform their bank immediately in the event of a fraud and file a complaint with the police.
The number of quishing incidents has increased significantly in the past few months. Over 8,878 such attacks were reported in 2023 alone, which shows an increase of 51 % compared to the first eight months of the year. A detailed analysis of QR codes shows that almost 2 % were classified as malignant, with most of the attacks to steal personal data, as the website QR code Tiger In view of this alarming development, it is urgently needed to have a watchful eye on QR codes. Be careful, only scan codes where you are sure and take care of which website you enter your data.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Celle, Deutschland |
| Quellen | |