‘We have unauthorized charges here’: Scammers use fake QR codes to steal money and personal info

ORLANDO, Fla. —

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Scammers are targeting consumers across the country in a clever way that involves technology many of us use every day. We’re talking about the QR codes or Quick Response codes you can scan with your phone or tablet.

All it takes is a quick scan. QR codes are everywhere these days. They are typically the squares with scrambled black and white markings that can provide quick access to things like restaurant menus, parking lot payments and scooter rentals. In some places, you can even leave a hotel room tip using a QR code.

William Robinson told Action 9, “I really see QR codes popping after COVID. You know when the menus list prices and stuff. It seemed like they were everywhere after that.” Even after the pandemic ended, the QR codes have remained popular.

Robinson uses them to charge his electric car in Orlando. He said they are convenient and easy to use. But that ease is making them a prime target for scammers.

It’s something Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody first warned about two years ago, but the scam is picking up popularity, especially in parking lots. Recently, scammers in southern California placed stickers with scam QR codes over the top of the real QR codes at parking lots in a couple of different cities.

One victim told our ABC station in Los Angeles, “About two minutes after I put in my information, her credit card company called her and said, ‘We have unauthorized charges here.’”

The fake codes actually sent drivers to a website that was one letter off from the real payment website. It asked drivers to input their location and payment information.

Scammers putting fake QR codes over the real ones like this could happen anywhere. One couple on vacation in Florida told Action 9 a QR code at an EV charging station in Inverness sent them to a scam site enrolling them in a costly monthly subscription. In September, the Town of Palm Beach Police Department warned about unexpected packages in the mail that asked people scan a QR code to find out who sent the gift.

“So, you’re actually providing your financial information and some personal information to identity criminals. They’re going to take some money out of your account pay for the parking, but then they’re also going to have your identity information that they can misuse in other ways,” said James Lee, the Chief Operating Officer for the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Lee says in many cases the scammers are counting on victims being in a hurry to pay and get somewhere, so they may not pick up on the scam.

The Identity Theft Resource Center suggests some things to keep in mind:

-Only use QR codes from a trusted source

-Avoid QR codes sent through unsolicited emails or text messages

-Pay attention to irregularities, like a sticker pasted on top of others

-Try to verify the web address the QR codes link to

It’s certainly something William Robinson said he’ll have on the forefront of his mind next time he comes across a QR code.

“Now that you warned me about it, absolutely I would pay attention to that,” Robinson said.

If you’re unsure of a QR code, many places still offer the chance to read a paper menu or pay in a more traditional way like with coins or a credit card directly. If an employee for the business is around, you can always ask if the QR code is legitimate.

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