Case № 0000-QR
● REC
QRiosity killed the cat.
You found a QR code in the wild. You had no idea where it led. You pointed your phone at it anyway, and it led here. You are responsible for the sad kitten. You did that.
Don't scan random QR codes
This time it was a sad kitten. It could just as easily have been quishing: QR-code phishing. A QR code is just a link you can't read, and you followed it blind.
- Fake login pages A pixel-perfect copy of your bank, email, or work SSO, waiting for your password.
- Malicious downloads An "update" or app install that hands your phone to someone else.
- Payment scams Stickers pasted over real codes on parking meters, menus, and invoices reroute your money.
- Instant actions QR codes can pre-fill payments, join Wi-Fi networks, or draft messages before you notice.
Next time, before you scan
- Ask who put the code there, and why.
- Read the URL preview before opening it. No preview, no tap.
- Check for stickers slapped over an original code.
- Never enter credentials or pay via a scanned link. Type the address yourself.
- If it arrived by email demanding urgency, it's bait.
This page was the harmless version of that lesson. The next random code you scan might not be.
