Beware of 'Quishing': Scanning QR Codes Could Drain Your Bank Account

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Exercise caution when scanning QR codes, as a new fraud method called ‘quishing’ is now being used to steal victims’ money. Quishing is a combination of QR codes and phishing, where perpetrators attempt to lure victims into providing their personal information and details. The method involves scanning a QR code with a mobile phone. Afterwards, the victim is directed to a specific website that is difficult to detect before the page successfully opens. Wired reports that perpetrators using the quishing method will try to trick someone into downloading something onto their device. However, this download will endanger the victim’s device. Once successful, the victim will be asked to enter some login credentials. It is from this stage that the victim’s important information is obtained by the perpetrator. Unfortunately, this crime is becoming increasingly widespread, given that QR codes can be easily created by anyone without requiring special skills. There are actually several ways to avoid this quishing method. It is important to remember not to blindly trust QR codes. This applies to QR codes found in public places or given by strangers with unclear origins. Next, recognise the nature of the crime. Typically, fraudsters will heighten the sense of urgency and concern in their potential victims to get what they want. For example, the perpetrator might say, ‘Scan this QR code to verify your identity or prevent your account from being deleted’. Another way to avoid the quishing method is to activate the two-factor authentication feature on every account. Finally, do not forget to log out of devices that are no longer in use.