There’s a worrying new alert that anyone who regularly uses time-saving QR codes must not ignore. It appears cyber crooks are now using these scannable boxes to trick people into handing over personal data, including banking details, and being fooled could leave you seriously out of pocket.

These so-called “quishing” attacks are on the rise, with it thought over £3 million was lost to QR scams over the past year alone.

With this threat level increasing, the team at Action Fraud is now urging everyone to be aware and only scan codes they know are safe.

According to the latest reasearch, the most likely place to become a victim of quishing is when parking your car with criminals using fake stickers to tamper with real QR codes on parking machines.

So, when the code is scanned, motorists are taken to a fake web page where credit card details are then stolen.

Quishing is also taking place via online shopping platforms. ellers receive a QR code via email to either verify accounts or to receive payment for sold items.

Another worrying trend is the use of QR attacks to impersonating HMRC, or other UK government schemes with these scams aimed at stealing personal data.

“QR codes are becoming increasingly common in everyday life, whether it’s scanning one to pay for parking, or receiving an email asking to verify an online account,” Claire Webb, Acting Director of Action Fraud, explained.

“However, reporting shows cyber criminals are increasingly using quishing as a way to trick the public out of their personal and financial information.

“We’re urging people to stop and check before scanning QR codes, to avoid becoming a victim of quishing. Look out for QR codes that may have been tampered with in open spaces, or emails and texts that might include rogue codes.”

Now is not a time to be complacent, and there’s some good advice to follow if you ever use this technology to speed up your online life.

One top tip from Action Fraud is to ditch any QR Code scanning apps from your phone.

“We recommend that you use the QR-scanner that comes with your phone, rather than using an app downloaded from an app store,” Action Fraud said.

Other tips to stay safe include being cautious when seeing a QR in an email and always checking that codes haven’t been tampered with when in public spaces.

“Scanning QR codes in open spaces (like stations and car parks) might pose a greater risk. Check for signs that codes may have been tampered with (usually by a sticker placed over the legitimate QR code). If in doubt, do not scan them,” Action Fraud confirmed.