QR codes at airports and hotels: how to avoid the scam
You scan a QR code to pay for airport parking, check the menu at the hotel restaurant, or "connect to free WiFi" at the terminal. It's such an automatic gesture that almost nobody thinks twice about it. And that's exactly why it became one of the fastest-growing travel scams: sticking a fake QR code over a real one costs pennies and raises no suspicion.
This technique is known as "quishing" (QR phishing). The code takes you to a page that mimics the real one, asks for your card "to pay," or has you download a fake app, and that's it: they have your data.
Where they show up most
Parking meters and airport lots
A sticker with a fake QR code placed over the official one is the most commonly reported case. It takes you to a site that charges your card but never actually pays for the parking.
Restaurant and bar tables at the hotel
Menus or "digital tipping" codes that don't actually correspond to the venue.
"Free WiFi" signs at the terminal
It connects you to a network that intercepts your traffic, or has you install a fake profile/app on your phone.
Emails or messages with a QR to "reconfirm" your booking
Same logic as link-based phishing, but using a QR to dodge spam filters that do catch text links.
How to protect yourself
Check if the QR is stuck on top of something else
A misaligned sticker, different paper type, or one that covers part of an official sign is the clearest sign.
Look at the address before continuing
Most phones show the link before opening it. If it's not the company's official domain (or looks odd, shortened, or has swapped letters), don't open it.
To pay, go directly to the official app or website instead
Most parking and payment systems have their own app or an official site you can reach by typing the address yourself, without relying on the sign's QR code.
Never enter card details on a page opened from an unknown QR
If in doubt, pay on-site with the official app or in cash/physical card reader.
A simpler way to check your trip
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