Tech Talk: Quishing?
 | Author:
Victor Sample
Vic Sample: MT43 News Treasurer |
Quishing?
Victor Sample
Over the last year, I have warned of many types of scams, malware and “phishing” emails. Now we have Quishing!
“Phishing” is an amusing term used for emails that try to get you to give personal information or download malware. The emails come in different forms: emails notifying you have won something or been “selected” for something or some kind of problem that you need to address IMMEDIATELY. Over the last 2 years, I have received hundreds of emails from well-known companies informing me I have been selected for a “customer loyalty” reward. Even the slightest investigation reveals that NONE of those emails actually came from the company they purported to be.
Then “smishing” became a concern. Smishing is the same concept as phishing but instead of emails the scammers use text messages (the technical term for text messaging is “SMS” – hence the term smishing. Again, the smishing texts try to get you to click on a link.
The new growing scam method is “Quishing” – using QR codes to get you to go to a website that will pretend to be a legitimate business but is actually a scam website designed to get you to divulge personal information OR to download malware onto your computing device – computer, notebook, cell phone, etc.
A QR code is really nothing but an image that contains a link to a website or to information on the internet. They can be quite useful – you can use your cell phone to interpret the QR code and bring up a website or show you useful information.
BUT they can also be used to scam you! QR codes can be sent via text or email. Never use a QR code unless you are certain that it is legitimate.
AWAYS BE CAUTIOUS! Unless you absolutely know where an email or a text came from and that it is safe, NEVER, EVER click on a link – including the “unsubscribe” link. And now be very careful of QR codes you receive by email or text: if you aren’t absolutely certain they are safe do not process the QR code.
