Warning: Almost got phished at a gas station in El Paso because I scanned a QR code on the pump

Was 200 miles from home when a fake payment sticker prompted me to enter my card info, but I caught it when the website URL started with a typo and immediately wiped my cards and called the bank, has anyone else seen these dodgy QR codes popping up at random pumps?

3 comments

3 Comments

jenniferw825d ago

My brother-in-law fell for something similar at a car wash last month, except it was a fake sign offering a free tire pressure check if he scanned the code. The website asked for his email and phone number, but he realized something was weird when it started asking for his home address too. He backed out fast, but now his spam filter is totally clogged with weird offers for extended warranties and miracle supplements. It's wild how these scammers will slap a QR code on anything they can reach. Makes you wonder if we should all just stick to paying cash or using tap-to-pay at the pump.

emery193d agoMost Upvoted

I read somewhere that QR code scams are up like 400% in the last year. The FBI actually put out a warning about it back in January. It's crazy because people trust QR codes way more than they should just because they're used to seeing them on menus and parking meters. Your brother-in-law got lucky he bailed before giving up his address, that's where they really start locking in on you for identity theft stuff.

aaron8845d ago

The REALLY scary part is these QR scams don't even need to look fake anymore. Someone with a label maker and a few bucks can print stickers that look EXACTLY like the real ones at any gas station or laundromat. That's what gets me.