Police have issued an urgent warning about a growing scam targeting car parks and parking meters across Greater Manchester.
Three cases of QR code fraud were reported in the region last week, usually seen in open spaces like parking lots. Fraudsters typically use fake QR codes and stick them over a real scan code on parking meters or machines.
They then direct victims to a “legitimate-looking payment site” which, once the data is entered, steals their personal and financial information.
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Greater Manchester Police said there has been a “sharp increase” in the use of QR codes following the pandemic, with cybercriminals using the technology to scam people.
Warning people of the increasing scams, GMP said: “In the last week in Greater Manchester there have been three reports of QR code fraud and officers from GMP’s Economic Crime Team are visiting communities across Greater Manchester on a daily basis to provide fraud prevention advice.
“QR code fraud is most likely to occur in open spaces, such as parking lots or parking meters. With this type of scam, fraudsters place a fake QR code sticker over a real QR code on a parking meter and the fake QR code directs users to a legitimate-looking payment site that will steal personal information and, in some cases, financial information.”
Police have issued a number of tips to avoid falling victim to these scams, including:
- When scanning QR codes in public spaces, check that the QR code stickers are not tampered with. If something doesn’t look right and the sticker doesn’t seem out of place, enter the URL manually to make sure you’re going to the right website.
- When scanning a QR code, make sure you’re using the QR scanner that came with your phone, rather than using an app downloaded from an App Store.
- Preview the URL. On some recent updates on mobile phones, when you start scanning the QR code, a URL appears. If this URL code does not look correct, stop scanning.
If you think you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040.
