Financial Fraud To Privacy Concerns: QR Codes Come Under The Scanner

Following the pandemic, QR-codes have replaced card machines, as well as printed and leather-bound menus, at restaurants – be it small outlets or fine dining – to encourage touchless transactions.

- Niharika Lal

When you scan a QR code with your phone’s camera it takes you to the restaurant’s website, where you can access its digital menu, and make a reservation or payment. Some restaurants have gone a step further. Amit Bagga, co-founder and CEO a restaurant chain, says, “We even use QR codes on our delivery boxes so guests can open our brand videos and our curated music playlists.”

However, most people are not aware of the fact that when you scan a QR code, your digital information gets saved as well. While tech experts have raised privacy concerns over QR transactions, in the last two years, QR code-related scams have also gone up in the country. We spoke to restaurateurs and tech experts to understand how to safely scan QR code.

CAN A QR CODE BE HACKED?

Jasmeet Banga, founder of a Delhi-based restaurant, says, “QR codes are static images that can’t be hacked but can be replaced. The biggest risk from QR codes is that you don’t know what the code will resolve until you’ve scanned it. QR codes are being used to pay for a variety of goods and services, where the user simply scans a QR code with their banking app. A fraudster could create a QR code that would transfer ₹100 to their account when scanned and place it over a QR code for a ₹1 item. Customers are advised to not point their phone at a QR code if it is not coming from a trustable source.”

REMEMBER, YOU CAN ONLY MAKE PAYMENTS USING QR CODES, NOT RECEIVE THEM