QR code con warning for Cambridgeshire
Since 2019, police in Cambridgeshire have received 34 reports of 'quishing'
Police in Cambridgeshire are telling us using QR codes to pay for items may not always be the safest route.
The force has received 34 reports of 'quishing' since 2019.
This involves scanning a fake QR code on a phone or device that could lead to scammers accessing sensitive information, such as bank details.
About 3,000 so-called “quishing” scams have been reported to the UK’s national fraud reporting authority, Action Fraud, since 2019.
That year, 100 such scams were recorded – by 2024, the annual figure stood at 1,386. Between 2023 and 2024, the number more than doubled.
People could be victims of quishing and not even realise they are
David York, cyber crime and fraud prevention officer at Cambridgeshire police, said:
"QR codes are just a shortcut."
"Sometimes it's safer to take the slightly longer route and visit the website itself or the app."
"People could be victims of quishing and not even realise they are, but then some time down the line, they've had their bank account accessed and they don't know how."
"There are a myriad of different types of methods that these scammers use."
"The technology that's being used by the scammers makes these things look real, and it catches people who are unaware."
It makes these things look real, and it catches people who are unaware
Trading Standards lead officer Katherine Hart said the figures are likely to represent just a fraction of the problem, which she said is a global issue that is significantly under-reported.
Ms Hart said “huge amounts” of money are being lost as a result of organised criminals using fraudulent QR codes to steal money and personal information.
The scams see fake or misleading codes scanned by unsuspecting victims, who are directed to websites and apps controlled by fraudsters and tricked into handing over data such as bank details.
They are most often traced to areas where contactless payments are common, such as car parks, but have also been linked to QR codes displayed on television, in emails and on postal packages.