Fake Free Wi-Fi Hotspot That Steals Logins through a QR code

How it looks through a QR code, the red flags and what to do.

A QR code hides the link inside a picture, so you cannot read where it goes before you scan. Scammers stick fake codes over real ones or send them by chat. Fake Free Wi-Fi Hotspot That Steals Logins is one of the ways this shows up: A free Wi-Fi network with a familiar name asks you to log in with your phone number or social account. Learn how fake hotspots work and what to avoid.

What fake free wi-fi hotspot that steals logins looks like through a QR code

• A code that downloads an app.
• A sticker pasted over a shop or parking QR code.
• A QR code sent on WhatsApp "to receive money".

The scammer creates a Wi-Fi network named to match a nearby venue or a well-known brand. Phones that remember similar names may even join it on their own. A sign-in page opens, copied from a typical hotspot login. It asks for a phone number, an email or a social media login, with the promise of a few hours of free data. Some pages also ask for a card for a 'verification charge'.

Red flags to check on the QR code

• A network name that is almost the same as the venue's, or open with no password.
• A sign-in page asking for your social account or email password.
• A request to install a profile, certificate or app to get online.
• A card details page for 'free' Wi-Fi.
• You are told to scan a QR code to receive money; you never need to scan to receive.
• The payee name on the payment screen does not match the shop.

What to do

1. Ask the venue staff for the exact network name and password.
2. Use mobile data for banking, UPI and shopping instead of public Wi-Fi.
3. Never install a profile or certificate to join a hotspot.
4. If you paid the wrong place, call 1930 at once and tell your bank.
5. Do not scan codes sent by strangers. Receiving money never needs a scan or a PIN.
6. Before paying, read the payee name and the amount on the payment screen.

If you lost money through a QR code, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in; tell the bank the transaction details.

If money or a code is already gone

1. If you shared card details, call your bank on the number printed on your card and ask to block it.
2. Call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in if money moved.
3. Change passwords for any account you logged in to, from a safe network.
4. Remove any profile or certificate you installed from your phone settings.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

The Wi-Fi safety check in Safeavio Sentinel looks at the network you are on and explains in plain words whether it looks risky, and network alerts can warn you about changes. Phone scan can show if a profile or app was installed. Safeavio cannot tell who owns a hotspot and cannot see inside secure apps, so use mobile data for payments when you are unsure.

Full guide: Fake Free Wi-Fi Hotspot That Steals Logins: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: fake app, SMS, social media.

Questions