Fraudsters have once again resorted to deceiving Russians through QR codes. Now they redirect users to fake neighborhood chats, fake government resource websites, or pages designed to transfer money allegedly for paying utility bills or fines.
A QR code, unlike a regular URL, does not immediately provide information about where the link leads. Attackers actively use this to their advantage.
When following the link, residents are offered to transfer money to a "barrier" or register in a duplicate of a well-known messenger, providing their personal data.
Do not scan random QR codes if you do not know where they should lead. This is especially true for codes from street advertisements or from chats in Telegram.
After you have decrypted the code using your smartphone, be sure to check the link address. It may contain deliberately made errors that will lead you to a phishing site. Use antivirus software to protect against phishing. Never enter your bank card details, logins, or passwords on websites that open via a QR code.
Read materials on the topic:
Fraudsters offer "help" to victims of fraud: how not to become a victim of a new scheme
Fraudsters deceive Russians using a scheme with fictitious debts for housing and communal services
Fraudsters hack Russians' accounts on social networks to damage their reputation
Pretending to be tax officials: a new fraudulent scheme is gaining momentum in Russia