Police warn: Danger from fake QR codes on parking machines!

Police warn: Danger from fake QR codes on parking machines!

In the last few days, the police in Lower Saxony have issued urgent warnings about fake QR codes on parking ticket machines. Loud n-tv These were specifically installed using real QR codes for cashless payments in cities such as Bad Harzburg, Goslar, Celle and Hanover. The fraudsters use fake codes that are pasted through legitimate providers such as Pay by Phone or easypark.

What makes this scam so dangerous? Scanning a fake QR code directs users to deceptively real websites that look confusingly similar to the providers' original pages. One affected user lost a four-digit sum, but was able to stop the payment with a quick call to his bank. The police recommend paying attention to removable stickers when parking and, if in doubt, paying directly in cash.

Quishing in different cities

As the police in northern Hesse explain, this fraud also occurred in Kassel and Frankfurt. The term “quishing” refers to the targeted theft of data through fake QR codes, such as daily news reported. In Kassel, users who scan the QR codes ended up on an external website, which poses significant risks. The city of Kassel has already taken measures to remove fake stickers, but is considering filing criminal charges.

The dangers are manifold: Outdated cell phones and software increase the risk because fraudsters specifically analyze their victims' mobile devices. It is not uncommon for credit card data to be stolen or even for malicious software to be installed. The police in North Hesse recommend checking the original label and paying attention to suspicious URLs.

Protective measures and prevention

The experts from Security Insiders recommend that you generally avoid QR codes from unknown or dubious sources. There are a number of security measures that can help you be more careful when scanning QR codes:

• Überprüfen Sie die URL, bevor Sie den QR-Code scannen.
• Verwenden Sie einen QR-Code-Scanner, der die URL vor dem Öffnen anzeigt.
• Geben Sie die URL manuell in den Browser ein, anstatt den QR-Code zu scannen.
• Achten Sie darauf, dass die Seite ein sicheres SSL-Zertifikat hat (das beginnt mit „https“).
• Nutzung von Sicherheitssoftware zur Erkennung von Bedrohungen.

The situation remains tense as checking over 300 machines is a real challenge and the fake stickers are quickly replaced. In this light, it is more important than ever to stay vigilant about cashless payments and stay informed about the latest scams.