{"id":2907,"date":"2025-02-19T09:00:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T08:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mobisec.com\/?p=2907"},"modified":"2025-01-10T09:58:38","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T08:58:38","slug":"not-all-that-glitters-is-qr-charging-station-fraud-is-on-the-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mobisec.com\/en\/news\/not-all-that-glitters-is-qr-charging-station-fraud-is-on-the-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Not all that glitters is QR! Charging station fraud is on the rise"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Learn how to spot it and protect yourself so you can charge your car safely.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><em>This article was written by Cristiano Dri, Software Engineer at Mobisec. It is part of a series of articles written by Mobisec employees and published every two weeks on the Mobisec blog.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Quishing: a growing threat.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>With the spread of electric vehicles, charging points have become increasingly common. However, this growth has brought with it a new threat: <strong>quishing<\/strong>. If this is a new term to you, don&#8217;t worry. We&#8217;ll explain what it is and how you can protect yourself.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is quishing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Quishing is an online scam that exploits the counterfeiting of <strong>QR codes<\/strong>. The term comes from the combination of &#8220;QR code&#8221; and &#8220;phishing&#8221;. Scammers create QR codes that, when scanned, lead to malicious websites. Users may be tricked into providing personal or financial information. Charging stations are becoming a common target, with unsuspecting motorists falling into the trap.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How does it work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Charging points often have a <strong>QR code<\/strong> near the socket to initiate the charging process. It may appear legitimate, with messages such as &#8220;Scan to start charging&#8221; or &#8220;Get a discount&#8221;. However, if the code has been altered by a scammer, you could end up on a<strong> fraudulent website<\/strong> asking for sensitive information, such as your credit card details.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The risks.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The risks of quishing are <strong>significant<\/strong>. You could end up paying for non-existent charges or, in more serious cases, suffer identity theft. Your financial and personal information could be compromised, with unpleasant consequences for your security and privacy.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How can you protect yourself?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Fortunately, there are simple and effective steps you can take to protect yourself:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Check authenticity:<\/strong> After scanning a QR code, make sure the retailer&#8217;s app opens automatically. If a web page opens instead, check the URL carefully to make sure it is correct.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use the official app:<\/strong> Downloading and using the charging provider&#8217;s official app is the safest way to access services.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use a card:<\/strong> Some companies offer cards that allow you to start charging without scanning a QR code. These cards also work in areas with poor mobile coverage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Report suspicious activity:<\/strong> If you encounter a suspicious QR code or notice anomalies at a charging station, report the incident to the company and the authorities immediately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Quishing is an <strong>emerging threat<\/strong> that should not be underestimated. Being informed is the first step in protecting yourself. With a few precautions, you can avoid scams and charge your vehicle safely. Stay vigilant, <strong>protect your data<\/strong> and enjoy your journey!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to spot it and protect yourself so you can charge your car safely. This article was written by Cristiano Dri, Software Engineer at Mobisec. It is part of a series of articles written by Mobisec employees and published every two weeks on the Mobisec blog. Quishing: a growing threat. With the spread of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Not all that glitters is QR! Charging station fraud is on the rise | Mobisec<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobisec.com\/en\/news\/not-all-that-glitters-is-qr-charging-station-fraud-is-on-the-rise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Not all that glitters is QR! Charging station fraud is on the rise | Mobisec\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to spot it and protect yourself so you can charge your car safely. This article was written by Cristiano Dri, Software Engineer at Mobisec. It is part of a series of articles written by Mobisec employees and published every two weeks on the Mobisec blog. Quishing: a growing threat. 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