FBI Warns of ‘Widespread’ QR Code Scams Cybercriminals Use to Steal Your Money

Published on February 17, 2024

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a new warning to Americans that they should exercise caution when scanning QR codes with their smartphones because cybercriminals tamper with the codes to steal login and financial information. A QR code—the square barcode that people can scan with their smartphone cameras—can provide quick and convenient access to a website or to a direct payment to an intended recipient. Businesses use QR codes to provide contactless access to services, for instance, enabling access to restaurant menu items on a smartphone that can then be conveniently ordered. However, the FBI said in an initial alert in late January that it discovered that cybercriminals were tampering with both the physical and digital QR codes to swap them for malicious codes that, when scanned, pose a risk to users....

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