QR Code Scams
How they work, the warning signs to look for, and what to do if you've been targeted.
Read the complete QR Code Scam GuideConsumer QR safety
QRaware.
Scan with confidence. Stay ahead of QR code scams.
QR codes are everywhere — parking machines, menus, posters, parcels, emails and payment screens. Scammers can use them too.
QRaware helps you understand QR code scams, spot the warning signs and know what to do if you've already scanned something suspicious.
Immediate help
Worried about a QR code?
I scanned a scam QR code. What should I do?
Don't panic. If you've already scanned something suspicious, what matters is knowing what to do next.
- Only scanned
- Opened a site
- Entered a password
- Shared card details
- Shared personal info
- Entered a code
- Downloaded a file
- Made a payment
Pause first
Think before you scan.
A QR code can look completely harmless. The website behind it might not be.
Scammers use QR codes to send people to fake websites, steal passwords and payment information, impersonate trusted organisations, or trick people into making fraudulent payments.
You don't need to be a cybersecurity expert to spot many QR scams.
The basics
What is a QR code scam?
Fraud that uses a QR code to send someone to a malicious or deceptive destination. The code can look normal — the danger is what happens after you scan it.
- Fake banking site
- Fake delivery page
- Fake payment portal
- Fake government site
- Fake account login
- Fake id verification
Quishing
Phishing, with a QR code.
Instead of clicking a suspicious link, you're encouraged to scan. The destination can still be a fake login or payment page.
Quishing can appear in emails, texts, letters, posters, parking areas, packages and other physical places where scanning already feels normal.
EmailSMSParkingParcelsPostersLetters
Spot the risk
10 warning signs of a fake QR code
You don't need to memorise every scam — just learn when to pause.
- 01You weren't expecting it
- 02You're being rushed
- 03It looks like a sticker
- 04The destination looks wrong
- 05You're asked for sensitive information
- 06You're asked for an unexpected payment
- 07Something feels off about the branding
- 08You're told to download something
- 09It doesn't match its surroundings
- 10The story doesn't make sense
QR codes aren't the problem.
Trusting them without checking is.
They're useful, convenient, and not going away. The answer isn't to stop scanning — it's knowing when to pause before scanning.
Before you scan
- Where did this QR code come from?
- Why am I being asked to scan it?
- Do I trust the source?
After scanning
- Where did it take me?
- Does the website address make sense?
- Why is it asking for this information?
Stop. Look. Verify.
01
Stop
Don't scan automatically. Pause when something feels unexpected.
02
Look
Check the source, context and destination before you continue.
03
Verify
Confirm the request independently through a trusted channel.
Start here
Your guide to safer QR-code scanning
No jargon. No scare tactics. Just clear information about the scams people actually encounter.
I've scanned a scam QR code
Already scanned something suspicious? Find out what to do next.
Get the step-by-step guideQuishing
Understand QR-code phishing and how scammers use it to trick people.
Learn about quishingFake QR codes
Learn the 10 warning signs that a QR code may not be what it seems.
Learn how to spot a fake QR codeEmail alerts (coming soon)
Leave your email if you'd like updates when QRaware launches scam alerts. Nothing is sent yet — this is a placeholder for a future newsletter.
Stay one step ahead of QR scams
You don't need to know every scam — just how to recognise the warning signs. QRaware helps you do exactly that.
Think before you scan.
Stop. Look. Verify.