JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A crime trend making its way across the country and could be coming to a parking meter near you.
Fake QR (quick response) codes are making it possible for crooks to steal your identity when you’re just trying to get somewhere on time.
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The fake code works like a skimmer, but it’s a sticker over the real code. If you follow the prompts where it leads you, you could be in a bad spot.
Sure, the tech of card-free, coin-free parking is easier, but for drivers like Matt Lively the risk isn’t worth it.
“We’re getting scammed on everything,” he said. “Text messages, phone calls, QR codes ... everything’s a scam.”
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That’s why he opted to pay for his parking the old-fashioned way and James Lee with the Identity Theft Resource Center said it’s not bad to be wary when paying to park.
“We have seen now in a number of places across the country,” he said. “Where criminals are putting stickers that look like a legitimate QR code over real QR codes.”
Fake QR codes aren’t a new scam, but the location, Lee said, is. Parking meters and payment systems are ready to catch you when you’re not paying close attention and just need to get somewhere.
“They just place this little sticker right over the real one, but it takes you to a fake payment website,” Lee said.
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Once you think you’ve paid, it’s too late. You’ve given your financial and personal information to a scammer, and once that information is in their hands, Lee said, there are plenty of bad ways crooks can use it.
“They’re going to take the money out of your account,” he said. “Pay for the parking, but then they’re also going to have your identity information that they can misuse in other ways.”
That’s why Lively said he’ll take a little extra time to pay if it means more peace of mind. The actual payment machine, he said, “that’s not a scam…if I use the QR code I guess there’s a chance of getting scammed, but there’s no chance on that” machine.
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Here are some tips for telling you if it’s a fake sticker:
- Look to see if there are multiple layers of stickers. If so, use another form of payment.
- Pay attention to where the QR code takes you -- does it look legitimate?
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