QR Code Scams and are they safe to use?

QR code definition and meaning

QR stands for “Quick Response”.

Although they may be simple, QR codes can store a lot of data. But regardless of their size, once scanned, QR codes must allow the user to access the information immediately. This is why it is called a quick response code.

What is a QR code?

A QR code is a type of barcode that can be easily read by digital devices and stores information as a series of pixels in a square grid. QR codes are often used to track product information in supply chains, and because most phones have built-in QR readers, they are often used in marketing and advertising. Recently, they have played an important role in helping to detect exposure to the coronavirus and reduce the spread of the virus. The first QR code system was developed in 1994 by the Japanese company Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota. It needs a more accurate way to track cars and parts during the manufacturing process. To achieve this, they developed a type of barcode that can encode kanji characters, rather than letters.

A standard barcode can be read in one way: top to bottom. This means that they can store a small amount of information, usually in the form of letters. But QR codes can be read in two directions: top to bottom and right to left. This allows it to access a lot of data.

Data stored in QR codes can include website URLs, phone numbers, or up to 4,000 characters of text. QR codes can be used to:

Create a direct link to download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Verify online account and verify login information. Access Wi-Fi by saving private details such as SSID, password and encryption type.
Send and receive payment information. And much more: A British company called QR Memories creates QR codes to be used on headstones, allowing people to scan the code to learn more about the life of the deceased (if and they have a newspaper or magazine about it online).
The development team behind the QR code wanted to make the code easy to scan so users wouldn’t waste time placing it in the right corner. They also need a unique design for easy identification. This is why they chose the square symbol, which is still used today. Denso Wave made its QR code public and said it would not use its copyright. This means that anyone can create and use QR codes. The concept was adopted slowly at first, but in 2002, the first phones with built-in QR code readers were released in Japan. The use of smartphones has led to an increase in the number of businesses using QR codes. In 2020, Denso Wave continued to improve on its original design. Their new QR codes include traceability, brand protection and anti-theft measures. QR codes are used in many applications, from transferring payments to tracking the location of objects to augmented reality.

How to avoid QR code scams

Before scanning a QR code, such as in a restaurant or other public place, check to make sure it has not been tampered with or that a sticker has not been placed over the original code. Installing antivirus software to scan the original QR code without malicious links will help you prevent other viruses or malware from being downloaded to your mobile.
Check out the other QR code links. When you scan the QR code, a URL preview should appear. Make sure the website address is correct. Look for the lock symbol on addresses starting with “https://” Only these URLs are secure. Think twice if you are redirected or a website asks you to provide personal information. If so, make sure they are genuine. Helping Santander customers fight cyber fraud

Santander is running a number of initiatives to help customers and employees understand the role of digital devices and the dangers of using them inappropriately. We use financial literacy to increase public knowledge about family finance, cybersecurity and digitalization. In addition, our new Cyber Heroes initiative and cybersecurity podcast Titania help us connect with the younger generation. Our mission is to give people a way to manage their money better.

QR codes are common in their systems

Online and offline QR code cheats

QR code cheats come in many different forms. Attacks can be online, in the body of an email, or in a YouTube stream. There are also ways to attack offline users, requiring fraudsters to modify or paste fake QR codes onto existing ones. They hope that potential victims will scan the malicious QR code and share useful information. Fake QR codes and hacked websites

Fake QR stickers lead people with problems to fake websites. People may think it’s a good site to buy music or order food from the menu, only to realize the site is fake and the customer has been misled. Fake QR codes can be found on products. Customers will assume the code is genuine and scan it to realize that the website loaded with the QR code is not genuine. Even if the victim doesn’t buy anything or share personal or banking information, a fake QR code can direct them to a malicious website. This website may install keyloggers or other malware that spy on victims and steal sensitive information. Bad QR codes and popular ads

Hackers sometimes create malicious code and try to find popular sites to post it. They can be sent to millions of people, posted on social media, or uploaded to YouTube. Criminals hope that bystanders will take out their smartphones, scan the code and end up on a malicious web page that prompts the user to download malicious files or provide valid login credentials.

How to protect yourself from QR code scams

Avoid scanning random QR codes

The FBI has developed a few ways to help people get out of trouble. The company advises people not to scan random QR codes and to always be cautious if a site asks for login information immediately after scanning.

Check the validity of the QR code

They recommend that you do not scan codes received in emails and messages. Make sure the physically scanned QR code is authentic and has not been tampered with.

Use antivirus software to stay safe

Finally, the FBI talked about antivirus software. Those who have good antivirus software installed on their connected devices probably have nothing to worry about. QR codes direct users to a website or trick them into downloading an add-on. If a file or website contains intrusive code that attempts to harm the user, antivirus software can trigger a warning and prevent the user from opening it.

How to scan a QR code?

Most smartphones use a built-in QR scanner, sometimes built into the camera. A QR scanner is the only way to scan a QR code. Some tablets, such as Apple’s iPad, have QR readers built into their cameras.

Some older devices may require special software to read QR codes. These apps are easily available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Scan the QR code with your device, it’s easy:

Open your popular QR code reader or camera app.
Pin it on the QR code. You will be able to point your camera in any direction and get important information. Data will appear directly on the screen. For example, if a QR code contains contact details, your phone should automatically download them.

QR code not secure? Hackers can insert malicious URLs containing custom malware into QR codes that can extract data from mobile devices when scanning. It’s also possible to insert malicious URLs and QR codes that lead to phishing sites, where unsuspecting users can reveal personal or financial information. Since humans cannot read QR codes, hackers can easily change them to point to other resources without being detected. Although most people know that QR codes can open URLs, they are less aware of other activities that QR codes can trigger on a user’s device. Besides opening a website, these actions may include adding a contact or writing an email. This surprise can make security threats related to QR codes problematic. A common attack involves placing a malicious QR code in public, sometimes hiding a valid QR code. Unsuspecting users who scan the code are redirected to malicious web pages that may host exploits, leading to device compromises or random login pages to steal user credentials. Some websites do stealth downloads, so a simple visit to that site can trigger a malware download.

Mobile devices, in general, are less secure than computers or laptops. As QR codes are used on mobile devices, the potential risks increase.

Do QR codes collect personal information and my data? Apps that generate QR codes do not collect personally identifiable information.

The data it does collect – and which is visible to the code’s creators – includes location, the number of times the code has been scanned and at what times, plus the operating system of the device which scanned the code (i.e., iPhone or Android).

Can someone hack a QR code?

The QR codes themselves can’t be hacked – the security risks associated with QR codes derive from the destination of QR codes rather than the codes themselves.

Hackers can create malicious QR codes which send users to fake websites that capture their personal data such as login credentials or even track their geolocation on their phone.

This is why mobile users should only scan codes that come from a trusted sender.

How do QR codes work?

The patterns within QR codes represent binary codes that can be interpreted to reveal the code’s data.

A QR reader can identify a standard QR code based on the three large squares outside the QR code. Once it has identified these three shapes, it knows that everything contained inside the square is a QR code.

The QR reader then analyzes the QR code by breaking the whole thing down to a grid. It looks at the individual grid squares and assigns each one a value based on whether it is black or white. It then groups grid squares to create larger patterns.

What are the parts of a QR code?

A standard QR code is identifiable based on six components:

Quiet Zone – This is the empty white border around the outside of a QR code. Without this border, a QR reader will not be able to determine what is and is not contained within the QR code (due to interference from outside elements).
Finder pattern – QR codes usually contain three black squares in the bottom left, top left, and top right corners. These squares tell a QR reader that it is looking at a QR code and where the outside boundaries of the code lie.
Alignment pattern – This is another smaller square contained somewhere near the bottom right corner. It ensures that the QR code can be read, even if it is skewed or at an angle.
Timing pattern – This is an L-shaped line that runs between the three squares in the finder pattern. The timing pattern helps the reader identify individual squares within the whole code and makes it possible for a damaged QR code to be read.
Version information – This is a small field of information contained near the top–right finder pattern cell. This identifies which version of the QR code is being read (see “Types of QR code” below).
Data cells – The rest of the QR code communicates the actual information, i.e., the URL, phone number, or message it contains.

Do QR codes collect my personal information and data?

QR code-generating software does not collect personally identifiable information.

Types of QR code

QR codes can be used for multiple purposes, but there are four widely accepted versions of QR codes. The version used determines how data can be stored and is called the “input mode.” It can be either numeric, alphanumeric, binary, or kanji. The type of mode is communicated via the version information field in the QR code.

Numeric mode – This is for decimal digits 0 through 9. Numeric mode is the most effective storage mode, with up to 7,089 characters available.
Alphanumeric mode – This is for decimal digitals 0 through 9, plus uppercase letters A through Z, and symbols $, %, *, +, –, ., /, and : as well as a space. It allows up to 4,296 characters to be stored.
Byte mode- This is for characters from the ISO–8859–1 character set. It allows 2,953 characters to be stored.
Kanji mode – This is for double–byte characters from the Shift JIS character set and used to encode characters in Japanese. This is the original mode, first developed by Denso Wave. However, it has since become the least effective, with only 1,817 characters available for storage. A second kanji mode called Extended Channel Interpretation (ECI) mode can specify the kanji character set UTF–8. However, some newer QR code readers will not be able to read this character set.

There are two additional modes which are modifications of the other types:

Structured Append mode – This encodes data across multiple QR codes, allowing up to 16 QR codes to be read simultaneously.
FNC1 mode – This allows a QR code to function as a GS1 barcode.
NOTE: A QR code can use multiple modes, so long as each QR code contains the correct version information field.

The collected data – and see who created the code – includes the location, how often the code has been scanned and for how long, and the operating system of the device that scans the code (eg, iPhone or Android).

Can anyone hack a QR code? QR codes themselves are invulnerable: the security risks associated with QR codes come from the destination of the QR code rather than the codes themselves.

Hackers can create malicious QR codes that send users to fake websites that capture their personal data such as their login credentials or even track their location on their phone. This is why mobile phone users should only scan codes from trusted senders.

How do QR codes work? The QR code system represents a binary code that can be translated to reveal coded data.

A QR reader can detect a standard QR code based on the three large spaces outside the QR code. Once these three shapes are identified, he knows that everything inside the square is a QR code.

The QR reader will scan the QR code, collapsing it all into a grid. It looks at each circle in the grid and assigns a value to each of them based on their color (black or white). It groups grid fields together to create a larger pattern. What are the different parts of a QR code?

A standard QR code is recognized by six factors:

Quiet Zone: This is the empty white space outside the QR code. Without this limit, the QR reader will not be able to determine what is and what is not in the QR code (due to interference from external factors).
Search criteria – QR codes usually have three black spaces in the lower left, upper left and upper right corners. These fields tell the QR reader that it is viewing a QR code and where the outer boundary of the code is.
Design Patterns – This is another small square with an area near the bottom right corner. It ensures that the QR code can be read, even if it is tilted or tilted.
Timeline – This is an L-shaped line that runs between the three spaces of the search pattern. The timing system helps the reader to identify the individual squares in the code and helps to read the damaged QR code.
Template information – This is a small information field next to the template search cell in the upper right. This helps identify the type of QR code being read (see “Types of QR Codes” below).
Data Cells – The rest of the QR code actually conveys the information, ie the URL, phone number, or information it contains. Do QR codes collect personal information and my data?

Apps that generate QR codes do not collect personally identifiable information. The collected data – and see who generated the code – includes the location, how often the code has been scanned and for how long, and the operating system of the device that scans the code (eg, iPhone or Android).

QR code format

QR codes can be used for many purposes, but there are four commonly accepted types of QR codes. The type used determines how the data is stored and is called “input mode”. It can be numeric, alphanumeric, binary or kanji. The status type is sent through the form information field in the QR code. Numeric Mode –

This is for the numeric values 0 to 9. Numeric Mode is the most efficient storage mode, with up to 7,089 characters available. Number Types – These are the decimal numbers 0 to 9, uppercase letters A to Z and the symbols $, %, *, +, -, ., / and : and spaces. It can store up to 4,296 characters. Byte Types: These are characters from the ISO-8859-1 alphabet. It can store 2,953 characters. Kanji Status –

This is the standard for two-byte characters in the Shift JIS alphabet and is used to replace characters in Japanese. This is the original model, developed by Denso Wave. However, it’s pretty minimal, with only 1,817 characters available for storage. A second type of kanji called Extended Channel Interpretation (ECI) can interpret UTF–8 kanji characters. However, some new QR code readers will not be able to read this character set.

There are two other methods which are variations of other types:

Customizable attachment mode: It encodes across multiple QR codes, allowing up to 16 QR codes to be read at the same time. FNC1 mode – This allows the QR code to function like a GS1 code.
NOTE: A QR code can use multiple formats, as long as each QR code contains the correct format information field.

QR codes in sales and marketing

Many advertisers use QR codes in their campaigns because they provide a faster, more intuitive way to direct people to a website than manually entering a URL.
They can be used to link directly to product pages online. For example, if you’re looking for a real outfit that a model is wearing on a poster, a QR code can take you directly to a web page where you can buy it.

QR code for tracking coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic has boosted the use of QR codes. In the UK, for example, guests in hospitality establishments such as bars and restaurants are being asked to scan a QR code upon arrival using the NHS Covid-19 app. This process is to help detect and stop the spread of this virus. If someone tests positive for Covid-19 here, the app notifies other guests who came there, using the data obtained by scanning the QR code.

QR code on product packaging

You can also find QR codes on the packaging of some of your favorite products. These QR codes can reveal information about the product, such as nutritional information or special offers you can use on your next purchase.

QR code and company

QR codes were originally developed to help track parts in automotive manufacturing, but they are still used throughout the manufacturing industry. You will also find QR codes that other companies need to track their products and equipment, such as construction, engineering and retail companies.

QR codes and postal services

They are also used by postal services around the world. Because they can contain a lot of information, they are often used to track packages. For example, international fashion brand ASOS has successfully adopted QR codes to track returns. QR codes and education

QR codes are also used in schools and universities to facilitate communication between students. They have appeared everywhere, from classrooms to libraries, for tasks such as helping students find the books they are looking for.