Quishing? The QR Code Scam to Know About

Phishing.

Smishing.

Vishing.

And now quishing?

Perhaps you’ve heard of one or more of these terms, or maybe not. I can tell you that I’m getting old enough that I can’t keep up with the technological lexicon any longer. But I am still interested in knowing how hackers and scammers are using technology to target me, which brings me to the latest scam: “quishing.”

What is it? Quishing is a way to use quick response (QR) codes to redirect you to a harmful website where scammers can trick you in some way, often by stealing login credentials or installing malware on your phone or computer.

It’s very similar to those unsolicited text messages or emails that encourage you to click on a link for pay a fine or scare you that your bank account has been hacked. But quishing uses QR codes to accomplish the task … getting you click a link.

While I recognize that your digital security doesn’t quite feel like it’s survival related, I encourage you to reconsider. After all, how hampered would your preparedness efforts be if a hacker were to steal your identity or drain your bank account? My guess is that it would instantly ruin your day and definitely slam the brakes on your preparedness efforts.

With that in mind, here’s the video that made me aware of the concern and offers common sense ways to mitigate the problem because, as with all scams, quishing will only become more prevalent.