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QR codes are everywhere: signs, ads, menus, and even scams. BBB Scam Tracker has reports about a scam that involves fraudulent QR codes at parking lots, and the FTC has reported on this type of QR fraud as well. This time, scammers use them to steal parking fees and collect credit card information. It's the flip side of this parking ticket scam. Learn how the scam works to avoid falling victim.
How the scam works
You pull up to a city parking meter or a parking voucher machine and notice a prominently placed QR code. It may say “Pay for Parking Here” or have a similar message. Happy about the convenient payment method; you scan the code and pay using your email address and credit card number. You don’t receive proof of parking, but you may notice a small amount charged to your credit card. You assume that you’ve been charged for parking.
A few weeks later, however, you noticed another charge on your credit card. However, this fee has nothing to do with parking. It’s a recurring charge from an unrelated company posing as the city’s parking fee service. It turns out the QR code was fake, and your information is now in the hands of a scammer.
One Scam Tracker victim reported in September 2023, "The public parking offered payment via a QR code that redirected my wife to a scam site. She put in all the account information." They lost only $3, but it is possible that the scammers captured their card information.
In another example from Scam Tracker, the reporter says they saw a QR code on a cardboard sign at the head of a hiking trail that directed them to pay for parking. "This was actually a scam to sign up for an entertainment website including music and videos, charging $39.95 per month on my credit card."
How to avoid impostor QR scams
- Pay for parking directly through the meter. Instead of scanning QR codes to pay for parking, use your credit card to pay directly using the machine or meter.
- Watch out for short links. If a QR code says it will open a URL-shortened link, you can’t know for sure where the code is directing you. It could be hiding a malicious URL or not belonging to the organization you are trying to pay.
- Look for evidence of tampering. Scammers may try to confuse you by placing QR code stickers where they should belong. They may even place them on top of legitimate QR codes. Keep a close eye out for signs of tampering.
- Install a QR scanner with added protection. Antivirus companies may offer QR scanner apps that alert you to phishing scams, suspicious links, and forced app downloads before you click on the link. Take advantage of secure scanners to get extra protection.
For more information
Read up on other scams that involve fraudulent QR codes and review BBB’s study on government impostor scams.
For general tips on avoiding scams, visit BBB.org/AvoidScams.
If you spot a scam, whether you lose money or not, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling victim to similar scams.