Be careful with QR codes: useful, but sometimes dangerous
Be careful with QR codes: useful, but sometimes dangerous
Written by:
Leo Hoogma, 25 August 2025
We use QR codes everywhere these days. In restaurants for menus, when making reservations for outings or dinners, when buying concert or train tickets, on billboards along the road, or even in government letters. All you have to do is scan them with your phone, and you`re immediately taken to a website or payment page. Easy, right? But precisely because it's so easy, internet scammers are taking advantage of them. They can create QR codes themselves and then embed a fake website behind them. Such a site might look like your bank or a well-known online store, but it's actually a trap to steal your information or money. This is also called phishing via QR or quishing.
How does this trick work?
- You scan the QR code
- You arrive at a website that looks trustworthy
- There you are asked for your PIN code, login codes or personal data
- As soon as you enter that, criminals have access to your bank account
This happens, for example, on second-hand websites such as Marktplaats or Vinted, or even in a restaurant where a fake sticker has been placed over a real QR code.
How do you stay QR-safe?
- Always look carefully at the internet address that appears. Do you see anything strange or unfamiliar? Stop immediately.
- A QR code from the Tax and Customs Administration, for example, should always lead to belastingdienst.nl and nowhere else.
- Use a tool like checkjelinkje.nl to check the link.
- Never provide PIN codes or bank account numbers via a QR code.
Are you unsure? Call us!
At Hoogma Webdesign, we are happy to help you with advice on secure QR codes, phishing, and internet security. Do you have any questions or doubts? Call, mail or app us. Better to ask once too many than fall into the trap.
Looking for a reliable, secure, and fast website builder? Feel free to contact our support team and inquire about HWCMS, the secure, user-friendly, and affordable website management system from Hoogma Webdesign!
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