Your phone buzzes. A text message pops up saying you have an outstanding traffic violation, and if you scan the attached QR code immediately, you can pay a $6.99 balance and avoid a court appearance.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Birch is a London-based advisor on digital financial services. Feb 28, 2024, 01:41pm EST Mar 12, 2024, 09:02am EDT This ...

These days, it's easy for anyone to take out their phones and scan a QR Code to see a food menu or to pay a bill. But QR Codes can also make it easy for scammers to access your personal information.

QR codes that were once seen as a convenient shortcut for checking menus or paying bills have increasingly been turned into weapons. Fake delivery texts, counterfeit payment links and malicious codes ...