Scan a QR code and you can get information such as recipes, menus, website links, contact information, links to download apps, coupons and more. Quick Response (QR) codes are a barcode that can be read by a digital device and were initially created to track automotive parts.
There are many third-party QR scanning apps out there, but you don’t even need one. Your phone’s camera can scan QR codes without the need for any additional software. Tap or click here for more details.
While convenient and entertaining, scanning a QR code can expose you to malware and scams. The FBI just issued a warning regarding schemes where cybercriminals tamper with legitimate QR codes to redirect potential victims to phishing sites.
The FBI released a PSA this week explaining how criminals are tampering with both digital and physical QR codes. In some cases, legitimate codes are replaced with malicious ones, prompting a victim to enter login and financial information. The cybercriminal can then do as they please with this information, including stealing money from the victim’s account.
In other cases, the QR code can contain embedded malware, allowing the criminal access to a victim’s mobile device, where they can access the victim’s location, personal and financial information.
In cases where payment can be made with QR codes, a criminal can tamper with the code to redirect payments elsewhere.
Fraudulent QR codes are even being placed on parking meters in cities around the U.S. When a driver scans the code to pay for parking, they’re taken to a fake website designed to scam them out of their money. Tap or click here for our report, including tips on how to spot this scheme.
The FBI issued the following tips on what to watch for and when you should avoid scanning QR codes altogether:
Stolen social media accounts are a hot commodity on Dark Web marketplaces. The average Facebook account sells for about $74.50, making the social network a priority target for phishing scams and cybercriminals.
Phishing campaigns make it easy to steal large quantities of login credentials at once. All scammers need to do is create a fake login page and trick victims into signing in. Tap or click here to see a copyright notice phishing scam targeting Facebook users.
Open/download audioAcross the world, people are getting sick at an alarming rate. That’s not the only thing increasing. Scams are on the rise too. Phishing sites alone have increased 350%. Here are four scams you need to watch out for. Warn the people you love, too.
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Is generated by bots. And 65% of those are for shady stuff like spying on competition, hoarding inventory and making lookalike phishing sites. There are no laws to protect businesses or consumers against the bot army.
Social media can be a great place for discussion, but it’s not the most reliable when it comes to news. Fake stories and disinformation are so common these days that it’s easy to get swept up by it and tricked into sharing.
There are plenty of reasons to be nervous when downloading apps for Android devices. Not only is Android malware on the rise, but people are also finding it in unsuspecting places like email attachments and Google Play — Google’s very own app store!
Despite a common misconception, smartphone users aren’t immune to malware. Mobile malware exists, and once it’s on your system, it can steal passwords, drain bank accounts and scan your phone for personal data.
Fortunately, security researchers are constantly on the hunt for mobile malware. With so many people using their phones as their main device, stamping out mobile malware is a huge priority. Tap or click here to see how to protect your phone from malware.
Mobile malware is on the rise, and more smartphone users are getting infected every day. In fact, a study from the University of Cambridge found that 87% of all Android phones are exposed to at least one critical security risk — which is why it’s so important to browse the web with safety in mind.
According to the FTC, Americans have already lost more than $40 million dollars to COVID-19 related scams online. This staggering number, combined with a massive uptick in new phishing sites, shows just how desperate scammers are to financially punish you during these trying times.
Has your phone been ringing off the hook with robocalls in the past few weeks? Did you notice an uptick in your spam folder recently? Scams are on the rise, and cybercriminals are having a field day playing off everyone’s fears about COVID-19.
The novel coronavirus and its disease, COVID-19, are now global phenomenons. The World Health Organization is stopping just short of calling it a pandemic, but the virus is present on almost every continent around the globe. Fear is palpable and people across the internet are scrambling for answers.
