Fraud in Dortmund: Fake QR codes discovered on parking machines!

Fraud in Dortmund: Fake QR codes discovered on parking machines!

in Dortmund has caused a new fraud stitch. Unknown perpetrators have glued at least 90 urban parking machines in the city center with fake QR codes. Drivers who scan them are forwarded to fraudulent websites and lose their money without buying a parking ticket. The damage arises from the so-called method of "quising", a specific phishing approach in which QR codes are used to steal personal data and payment information. This form of fraud was discovered on Monday, January 27th, by a controller of the civil engineering office, whereby the exact time of the stickers has so far remained unclear.

The fake QR codes do not lead users to the official park app of the city of Dortmund, but to a side specially set up for fraudulent purposes. On this platform, users are asked to provide personal data and credit card numbers to allegedly pay for parking. Catastrophic consequences can occur because this information gets directly into the hands of the perpetrators. Employees of the civil engineering company have now removed the fake codes and informed the police who are currently looking for the authors of fraud, but without specific information.

safety precautions for drivers

In order to protect themselves from such fraudsters, drivers should download an app from official app stores, such as Easypark, Mobilet or PaybyPhone, to be sure that they access the right pages. Only those drivers who rely on digital payment methods via app are affected by the problem; The use of conventional parking licenses from machines continues to ensure a secure parking process.

The phenomenon of quishing is not only limited to Dortmund. In general, it is a growing problem, especially in times of major events, such as the 2024 Olympics in Paris, in which similar fraudulent QR codes and domains were registered. These developments cause security concerns, not only for parking technologies, but for a variety of digital interactions in which QR codes play a role. The recommended security measures include manual entering URLs and checking for SSL certificates.

vigilance is required

The incident in Dortmund underlines the need for users to remain vigilant and critically question the origin of QR codes and the validity of domains. In view of the digital transformation that penetrates every area of ​​our life, sensitization to digital security is of great importance. Drivers and users should always act consciously so as not to become victims of cybercrime. Before you scan a QR code, it is advisable to keep the URL and, if possible, to resort to security tools to be better off.

The incident in Dortmund is an alarming example of the sophistication of modern fraud stitches, and it is to be hoped that both citizens and authorities can learn from this situation to avoid future damage.

For more information about the incidents in Dortmund, read on Derwesten.de href = "https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/ruhrgebiet/falsche-qr-codes-parkautomaten-dortmund100.html"> wdr .