Cybersecurity expert warns of QR code scam: Quishing

There's a scam gaining steam that targets people who frequently use QR codes: It's called quishing and a local cybersecurity expert said it's spreading like wildfire. Quishing involves scammers creating fake QR codes that either send you to a fake website or cause you to download malware to your device; it can wreak havoc and cause victims a world of trouble. Cybersecurity expert Alex East has written several books about how to protect yourself from various scams, from elder fraud to keeping kids safe from online predators. East said quishing is one of the fastest-growing scams because all it takes is a fake QR code and an unsuspecting victim simply not paying close attention. "It might be on a gas pump or something like that, because gas pumps have QR codes on them," explained East. "So what they do is print out these bogus QR codes on stickers and then go around putting these stickers over the top of genuine QR codes and then people will unwittingly scan them and fall victim to these scammers." East explained once a person scans one of these fake QR codes, it can open doors for hackers to access your information. "So let's say it's impersonating a bank and it takes you to a bogus bank log-in page where you enter your credentials to log into your account or so you think, and now they are harvesting your log-in details," said East. "They can use them to log in to your account, change the password so you can no longer access it, and then steal whatever funds you may have in your bank account." Your greatest weapon against becoming prey to scammers, according to East, is to pay close attention to what you're scanning; he often uses the mantra: "Trust but verify" as key words of advice. "Whenever you're scanning something, check to make sure that it's part of the original printing, that it's not a sticker that's been put over the top of something," said East. "If it sends you to a website where you have to log in, check the website's address and make sure it looks kosher. If it's sending you to Citibank for instance, make sure it's citibank.com and not (a bogus address)." East said it doesn't take much high-level technical sophistication or brazenness for people to become QR code hackers in this day and age. And with more people feeling financially desperate, it's not a surprise that crimes such as this are on the rise. "There's no more pulling a stocking over your head and walking into a bank with a shotgun. Now, they can do it all from behind a keyboard and therefore the risk and reward ratio is vastly increased compared to how it was in the old days. So it's become a lot more attractive to people," explained East. "Nowadays, anybody off the street can become a hacker/scammer because there are so many tools out there that they can leverage that they can get the same results that the hackers of old can get." Because of the growing prevalence of scams such as quishing, East has become a self-described book-writing machine in his spare time from his job in cybersecurity. His first book, "Cybersecurity for Seniors," received a large amount of accolades. He followed up with "A Parents Guide to Online Safety" for children and is now in the process of completing The AI Scam Survival Guide" with more on the way. All of East's books are available on Amazon. For more information about his books and background, visit https://cybersecuritycoachonline.com/#services