Using QR Codes Safely: Fake Codes and Cautions for Creators
Key points
- Check the URL shown after scanning
- Beware of QR stickers pasted over real ones
- When making one, check where it leads
QR codes are handy, but you cannot see what is inside, so take care.
For people who scan
- Look carefully at the URL shown after scanning. Do not open unfamiliar URLs or ones slightly different from the official one.
- Another sticker may have been pasted over a real QR code. Take special care in public places or with codes from strangers.
- If you are asked for personal data, a password or a card number, go through the official app or an official site you searched for yourself, not through that QR code.
- Be wary of wording that stirs up anxiety, such as "right now" or "account suspended".
For people who make them
- Open the destination URL yourself before making the code.
- Always test-scan before handing them out.
- Once printed, a QR code cannot be changed. If the destination might change, update the notice on the destination page.
- If it is posted somewhere out of sight, check on it to see that it has not been replaced.
About this tool
Create a QR Code processes what you type only inside the browser on your device. There is no sign-up and nothing is sent when you make one. See the Privacy Policy for details.
When a password is involved
A Wi-Fi QR code contains the password as it is. If you post it where others can see it, protect yourself, for example by using a guest Wi-Fi.
Use "Create a QR Code (URL, Wi-Fi)" (free)Tools that go well with this
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More guides for this tool
- How to Make a QR Code for Free (URL, Works on a Phone)
- Making a Wi-Fi QR Code So Guests Can Connect Without Typing
- Tips on Size, Margin and Color When Printing a QR Code
- How to Put a QR Code on a Flyer, Business Card or Poster
- Why a QR Code Won't Scan and What to Do
- PNG, SVG or PDF: Which Format Should You Save a QR Code In?