Ritika Janiya
At the moment, UK drivers are being warned of new scams involving fake QR codes on parking signs. According to experts, this is part of a scam called “quishing” that takes motorists through sites that harvest personal details, as well as payment. The researchers advise the drivers not to scan the codes, but to use other many means of payment that are way safer.
Then imagine pulling up to a parking space, ready to pay, and you see a useful QR code on the parking sign. It seems pretty simple—you just scan the code, pay online, and presto. Apparently, that very simplicity is leading UK motorists straight down the garden path to scammers.
Recently, the UK has reported an increase in the use of fake QR codes in so-called quishing scams. This term comes from “QR” (Quick Response) and phishing, which criminals use to try to con personal information out of people. These fake QR codes are stickered over the real ones or attached to signs in places where there was never a QR code. The drivers who scan these codes unknowingly get sent to a similar website, but it is set up purely to steal their payment details and other personal, sensitive information.
QR Code Scams on the Rise
A serious underlying worry has been expressed by the RAC, one of Great Britain’s largest automotive organizations, about the scale of the problem. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said that the popularity of QR codes use and its ease of operation had also popularized the use of the tool by scammers. “The growing popularity and way in which QR codes are now used have seemingly made people that drive more vulnerable to these malicious scammers,” further leading to a concern that what appeared to be fairly easy and convenient payment may, in fact, be a “quick route” to losing money.
This is further worsened by the fact that some drivers may not know they’ve been scammed until it’s too late. They will have scanned the fake QR code and believe they have paid for parking. They could be issued with a hefty fine for parking by the council later, compounding the injury with insult.
Councils in the Fight Against ‘Quishing’ Scams
A number of councils, like the Barking and Dagenham in East London, Northumberland, and Pembrokeshire issued alerts warning about the scams. They have urged drivers to be very cautious about the QR codes on parking signs. Most councils do not have for parking payments anyway. They direct drivers to official applications used by the council authority themselves or to pay through cash or card note to the machine.
Despite such advisories, the problem still persists. The scam has gone to the extent of spreading through to electric vehicle (EV) stations, with reports of fake QR codes, which means that the scammers will find any bit of opportunity to con drivers in the mission to steal their info.
Steps on How to Protect Yourself from QR Code Scams
Squishing Scammers: With quishing scams on the rise, ways to protect drivers are key for drivers to know. Ensuring drivers follow these simple steps is all the RAC suggests to avoid being ensnared by squishing scammers:
Check Before Scanning: If anything look like it has been stuck over a bit of information, or if it seems out of place don’t scan the QR code.
- Look for the Padlock Symbol: On being redirected to a webpage/app, after scanning a QR code, be sure to look at the URL. It will have a padlock symbol if this site is secure. But if something does not seem right with the URL or it is not of the company you expected, do not enter your details.
- Use Official Apps: Instead of relying on QR codes, consider using official parking apps of the council or parking operator. They usually are safer as they are directly linked to the service you pay for.
- Pay by Cash or Card: Though a number of councils are phasing out cash payments, this method of payment remains one of the most secure, where machines for payment still remain. Scammers can never steal your details if you are not keying them in online.
Williams, also from the RAC, said mobile payments were convenient but that many drivers still liked to use cash. This choice is being taken away as councils increasingly become cashless.
The rise of quishing scams serves only to remind us that, while technology can make our lives easier, in the hands of wrongdoers, it can easily be turned against us. As we head toward a cashless society, caution and being enlightened about the risks should be in our minds at all times.
Here you go, drivers in the UK: pay attention to those QR codes, especially ones that require a payment. A couple of seconds more at the sight of a suspicious QR code or in the time taken to choose an alternative way to pay may save you quite a bit of bother and hopefully stop you from becoming the next clever scam victim.
In a world that shifts quickly in the way of doing things, the best protection against damages that would often occur would be to be updated and cautious. Next time you’re parking your car, think twice about scanning that QR code. It just might be safer to use the old-fashioned method of paying.
