The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is alerting the public to a new scam being used by criminals to commit identity fraud.
Known as quishing, this form of phishing involves fake QR codes that deceive individuals into exposing their personal information.
Scammers typically begin the scam by distributing a message containing a QR code through social media, placing it in a public area, or sending it unsolicited via text or email. The message often offers a tempting reward or discount to potential victims.
Upon scanning the QR code, the recipient is directed to the scammer’s website, which may appear authentic but is actually a ruse to gain the person’s trust. This trust is then exploited to obtain sensitive personal details like names, addresses, banking information, passwords, and more.
With this information, scammers are able to perpetrate identity fraud by making unauthorized purchases, opening credit card accounts in the victim’s name, misusing social security numbers, and fraudulently altering account addresses, among other illegal activities.
To safeguard yourself, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service recommends the following precautions:
- Verify the origin of a QR code before scanning it by contacting the advertised company directly. This step can also alert the impersonated entity to the scam and prompt preventive measures.
- Request the blocking of all spam messages by informing your carrier’s customer service to prevent text messages sent as emails.
- Keep your technology updated to enhance protection against fraudulent schemes.
The awareness of the quishing scam follows a prior caution issued by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service regarding smishing, another form of phishing where scammers pose as government agencies in text messages to extract personal information. These deceptive texts may claim an urgent response is needed for a USPS delivery, but the agency advises against clicking the link.
Instead, the public is urged to report such incidents to USPS and consult the official website for accurate delivery tracking information.
