Got a Text With a QR Code? Here's How to Tell If It's a Scam
Unexpected QR code in a text? Here's what the scam looks like and how to check the code safely.
If a QR code showed up in a text you weren't expecting, treat it as suspicious. Legitimate companies rarely ask you to scan a code from a random SMS. Scammers use them because the code hides the real web address until it's too late.
The common versions right now
- A "package couldn't be delivered" text.
- A "toll payment overdue" text.
- A "your bank flagged a charge" text.
All of them push you to scan fast and enter your card or password.
What to do instead
Don't scan it from the message. If you want to know where it actually goes, run it through ScanLikely first — it shows you the real destination and warns you if it leads to a fake login or payment page.
Related QR safety guides
Not sure if a QR code is safe? Check it before you tap.
ScanLikely scans the code and warns you before it opens anything sketchy — links, fake payment pages, rogue WiFi, and more. Free on iPhone and Android.
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