Be aware of a new scam using QR codes

The National Police in Malaga are asking the public to be aware of the latest scam that uses QR codes to steal your info

Malaga Provincial Police Station is warning the public about a new type of fraud that cybercriminals are now committing using QR codes, and in a statement issued, they want the entire population to be aware of the protection measures that can be taken, as they explain, since the pandemic, “citizens have changed their habits, and its consequences are having an impact not only on the daily life of the population but also on different activities that they carry out through the use of technologies”.

They have pointed out that when people go out anywhere, it is becoming more common to have to check prices – gyms, restaurants, cinemas, shops, platforms – by scanning the QR code provided, created with the aim of enabling their content to be read at high speed, but, according to the National Police, this type of code “has been exploited by computer scammers to use them in a criminal way, and obtain personal and / or banking data of the victims”.

To avoid being victims of this type of crime, the police cybercrime specialists point out that it is very important “not to click on unknown links, links received via emails or SMS, and be very careful when scanning an unknown QR code”, while recommending “to avoid falling for the hook of harmful codes” to configure the ‘app’ that scans them “so that it does not automatically redirect to the page or content they point to, or to install a reader ‘app’ that allows a preview of the link”.

It is also recommended to avoid those QRs that are stuck on top of apparently clean advertising, or those that are devoid of any advertising, especially those posters with codes that announce offers, raffles, gifts, etc, in which instance, if you were interested, it is better to take note of the advertised company or product, and carry out a search on the internet, that is, take the initiative, and not bite into what can become a trap, as reported by laopiniondemalaga.es.

___________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading, and don’t forget to check The Euro Weekly News for all your up-to-date local and international news stories.