The Sticker Scam Hiding on Your Parking Meter

Scammers are pasting fake QR code stickers over real ones on parking meters, restaurant tables, and flyers around Sun City. When you scan the fake code, it sends you to a website that looks just like the real business and asks for your card number or personal information. AARP flagged this scam, known as "squishing," as one of the top fraud alerts this month.

It works because it hides in plain sight. Most of us trust a QR code without thinking twice, especially when it is sitting right where the real one should be. That trust is exactly what the scammer is counting on.

Here is how to protect yourself.

Look closely before you scan. If a QR code sticker looks like it was added on top of something else, or the edges look raised or crooked, do not scan it.

Pete Miller
Founder, Scam-Proof Senior