QR Code Fraud Is Rising: Here’s How To Protect Yourself

Quishing is on the rise – here’s how scammers are using tech to steal your cash, one scan at a time.

If you’ve ever scanned a QR code at a car park or café without a second thought, you’re not alone. But you might be at risk. A new wave of digital crime is sweeping the UK, and it’s hiding in plain sight—on signs, stickers, menus, even parcels. It’s called quishing (QR code phishing), and reports have skyrocketed, jumping from just 100 in 2019 to 1,386 last year alone.

At the heart of it? Organised crime gangs exploiting our trust in tech. Katherine Hart of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute warned: “We’ve seen huge amounts lost this way. People have seen their life savings gone and that money is going to finance criminals.”

The scam is painfully simple. Criminals replace real QR codes with fake ones that, when scanned, direct victims to bogus websites. Once there, they’re tricked into entering sensitive details—bank info, personal data, passwords—which are then used in further scams.

And it’s not just happening online. QR codes have been spotted in the wild—on parking meters, takeaway menus, and even TV screens.

Take Milton Haworth, who scanned a code at a West Yorkshire car park and unknowingly subscribed to a shady service for £39 a year. “I assumed I’d paid for parking but realised it was a scam when £39 disappeared from my account the next day,” he said. “The sign said to use the code to park—I hadn’t ever heard of QR codes being used as a scam.”

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His frustration? The lack of response. “Nobody seems to care… it’s small amounts, but if it’s £39 a month and there’s a million people being duped? That’s not small anymore.”

Even more worrying, many victims don’t even realise they’ve been targeted. Hart explained that scammers often start with a minor charge—say £2.99—then come back later with a full-blown “secondary scam”, armed with the data you’ve already shared.

While major operators like National Car Parks are reviewing QR use and ramping up inspections, others are calling for better public awareness. “When you’re scanning a code to pay for something, that’s when you really need to stop and think,” said MP Kirsty Blackman, who’s been tearing fake QR codes off machines in Aberdeen.

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Detective Superintendent Gary Miles echoed the call for caution: “Stop and check before scanning. Fraudsters are creative, and this is just their latest trick.”

Moral of the story? Scan smart, and always double-check the link. Your phone might love a quick tap—but your bank account might not.