Scams through a QR code in India
QR scams work because people trust the little square. The code may open a payment screen, a fake website or an app download.
What it looks like
- A sticker pasted over a shop or parking QR code.
- A QR code sent on WhatsApp "to receive money".
- A code on a poster or flyer with a prize or a job offer.
- A QR that opens a payment screen with an amount already filled in.
- A code that downloads an app.
Scams that use this channel
Scan QR to Receive Money ScamA buyer asks you to scan a QR code or enter a PIN to receive an advance. A QR code only ever sends…Fake UPI App Flash Pay ScamA shopkeeper or seller is shown a 'payment successful' screen from a copy of a UPI app that only…QR Sticker Swap Shop ScamScammers paste their own QR code over a shop's real one, so customers pay the wrong account and…OLX Buyer Sends a QR Code to Receive PaymentA buyer on OLX or Facebook Marketplace says 'scan this QR to get paid' and your account is debited…Malicious QR Codes Stuck in Public PlacesA QR sticker on a parking meter, restaurant table or poster leads to a fake payment page or an app…Shop Counter QR Sticker Swap Targeting Small MerchantsScammers paste their own payment QR over a shop's real code so customers pay the wrong account.…Juice Jacking: Public Charging Ports and Rigged CablesCan a public USB port or a gifted cable steal data from your phone? See what is real, what is rare…Fake Free Wi-Fi Hotspot That Steals LoginsA free Wi-Fi network with a familiar name asks you to log in with your phone number or social…Army Transfer Tenant Advance ScamA 'transferred army officer' wants to rent your flat and pays an advance by making you scan a QR…Smart Meter Installation UPI Trap ScamA caller says your meter must be changed to a smart meter today and sends a QR or app for a fee.…Society and RWA Maintenance App ScamA fake message in the society group changes the maintenance QR or asks residents to install an RWA…Cricket and Event Ticket Resale ScamTickets for a sold-out match or concert offered on social media may be fake or sold many times.…Disaster and Charity Donation QR ScamAfter a flood, accident or illness story goes viral, fake appeals share a personal QR. Learn how…
What to do
- Do not scan codes sent by strangers. Receiving money never needs a scan or a PIN.
- Before paying, read the payee name and the amount on the payment screen.
- Check where a code goes with a QR checker before you open the link (Safeavio Sentinel can do this).
- Press on a shop code to see if it is a sticker; ask the shop to read out the name you should see.
- If you paid the wrong place, call 1930 at once and tell your bank.
If you lost money through a QR code, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in; tell the bank the transaction details.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.