Most likely you’ve seen the black and white speckled squares more and more over the last few years. You scan it with a smart phone to access services or apps.
But since the pandemic, restaurants and stores are using them more often in an effort to protect their customers and employees from COVID-19. For example, when you go to a restaurant, instead of touching a menu, you would scan the QR code which opens the menu on your phone. You can even order via your phone in some cases.
However, as with all new uses of technology, cyber criminals are taking advantage of it to commit cyber crimes.
A criminal can create a sticker with a fake QR code that is put on top of a legitimate QR code. When you scan it, thinking it is taking you to a legitimate site, it actually infects your mobile device.
Protect yourself and your information by installing an anti-malware app with QR code protection on your smart phone. You should also disable the auto-redirect function in your browser so that your phone will alert you to the web site it is being directed to instead of automatically going to an infected site.
You should also avoid scanning QR codes that offer free internet access. In general, avoid QR codes on walls or windows or any that appears to be made from a sticker.