Jan 06, 2022 15:00:00

A QR code to skip to the fake parking fee payment page is affixed to the parking lot

It has been reported that a fraud has occurred in a toll parking lot in Houston, Texas, USA, where a QR code linked to a fake parking fee payment page is affixed.

QR code scammers hitting on-street parking in Texas cities --including Houston, officials say; This is what you need to know

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/01/05/qr-code-scammers-hitting-on-street-parking-in-texas-cities-this-is-what-houston-officials- want-you-to-know /

According to a Houston investigator, the fraudulent QR code was found in five toll parking lots in Houston. If you read this QR code, you will access the parking fee payment page that is not related to the toll parking lot.

Park Houston, the city's parking management department, warned that 'don't pay parking fees with a QR code' and urged users to choose the right payment method, such as cash, credit cards, or dedicated apps. 'We will continue to inspect more than 900 parking lots in the city,' he said.

City Of Houston The Urges The Public To Be Aware Of A Scam Involving Fraudulent QR Codes Being Affixed To On-Street Parking Pay Stations. These Fraudulent QR Codes Link To A Non-City-Affiliated Website For Payment. Https://T.Co / oGJXtW1MNj #Knowparking #QRCode #ParkMobile pic.twitter.com/jBgTcHqFL1

— ParkHouston (@HouParking) January 5, 2022

The same act of having a QR code of unknown origin read has been confirmed in Japan, and in October 2021, a stranger asked, 'Can you read the QR code of a new business?' It has been reported that an incident has occurred. In this case, it was unknown what the QR code meant because it did not access the QR code, but it is suspected that it was a fraud using the QR code.

'Can you read the QR code of the new business?' It seems that new fraudulent solicitations are being made all over Japan --Togetter
https://togetter.com/li/1794610

Reading a QR code is not limited to 'accessing a web page', but also 'adding a contact', 'starting a call', 'sending a text message', and so on. Kaspersky Lab, a security company, tells us about the operations performed by reading a QR code as follows, and recommends not to read a suspicious QR code.

What they have in common is that they automate common operations. For example, scanning a QR code can add contact information from a business card, pay a parking fee, or give you access to a guest Wi-Fi network.

Being able to use it for a wide range of purposes also means that it is easy to control the other party. For example, let's say the contact you added by scanning the QR code was added to your contact book under the name 'Bank', but it was actually a fraudster's contact. When the scammer calls you, you may think that the call came from some bank and trust you. You may also be called a long-distance call and have to pay for it, or you may be informed of your whereabouts.