Shelly Palmer

Avoiding QR Code Traps: Your Guide to Digital Safety

Tech expert and Professor Shelly Palmer speaks with Tashanea Whitlow on Fox 5’s Good Day New York about about the world of QR codes, explaining their rising popularity for sharing links, contacts, and making payments. However, with this convenience comes a hidden danger: QR code scams.

As QR codes became increasingly ubiquitous during the pandemic, so did the tactics of scammers. Shelly outlines how these seemingly harmless codes can lead to phishing attacks, mirror sites, or even leave your device vulnerable to viruses.

Shelly emphasizes the difficulty in distinguishing legitimate QR codes from fraudulent ones, given their unreadable nature. He warns against the indiscriminate scanning of QR codes found in public spaces, advising viewers to be vigilant, especially with QR codes in emails, texts, or on signs. Key tips include checking URLs for misspellings or unexpected extensions and being cautious of codes received even from known contacts.

As we navigate the digital world this holiday season, Shelly offers crucial advice for keeping our devices safe from QR code scams. Stay informed and protect yourself with Shelly Palmer’s expert guidance on QR code safety.

Original Airdate: December 12, 2023

Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it. This work was created with the assistance of various generative AI models.