Many people use QR codes every day. A VERIFY viewer asked if QR codes can “force” a credit card payment — that’s false, but there are other scams to watch for.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 and social distancing became a common practice, contactless forms of payments have taken off in popularity. Some contactless payments use QR codes that customers can scan with their smartphones, which then allows them to pay with a credit card.
A QR code is a square-shaped barcode designed to be read by digital devices. The default camera app on most modern smartphones can read these codes, which will take the user to either a website or an app.
One concern people have with QR codes is that there isn’t a reliable, consistent way to see what it links out to before actually scanning it and following its link, which creates opportunities for scammers to trick people.
Josh texted the VERIFY team with a question about one security concern: “I heard some QR codes can ‘force’ a payment to be made, especially if your cards are stored on your phone. Is this accurate, too?”
THE QUESTION
Can a QR code force a payment?
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