Mary Hamilton - QR Code Scams

BBB: DON’T SCAN QR CODES ON UNEXPECTED PACKAGES

A package you didn’t order could be a fun surprise but be careful – especially if it comes with a QR code. It might be the setup for a scam.  In a “brushing” scam, you receive a package you didn’t order, often without a return address. This is often a setup by unscrupulous companies who found your address online. After the company ships the product to you, they can post a fake, positive review on your behalf to improve their store’s ratings and get more sales.  Reports to BBB Scam Tracker over the last few months show a twist on brushing scams where the package contains a QR code. The code comes with instructions to scan it to find out who sent the package or how to start a return. Scanning the QR code can lead to a phishing website or download malware onto your device.  In one BBB Scam Tracker report, a consumer received a package of pasta via Amazon in her name. Thinking it was a gift from a friend, she scanned the QR code that came with the package. The QR code took her to a website that appeared to be Amazon. The consumer said she has received a higher-than-normal amount of scam emails since scanning the QR code.  In another BBB Scam Tracker report, a consumer received a ring in the mail that he did not order. The ring came with a QR code. The consumer checked BBB Scam Tracker before scanning the code, and after reading other reports about brushing scams, he decided not to scan it.

A cyber security expert and the CEO of Mad Data. She works with companies from coast to coast to protect their data MARY HAMILTON