You have been warned — do not scan here. An “impossible” to detect smartphone threat is now surging, with a new warning that more than 4 million attacks were observed “in the first half of 2025 alone.

QR codes that were once seen as a convenient shortcut for checking menus or paying bills have increasingly been turned into weapons. Fake delivery texts, counterfeit payment links and malicious codes ...

Scammers are placing QR codes on unexpected packages to trick consumers into revealing personal information. Scanning these malicious QR codes can lead to fake websites that steal data or install ...

Quishing is proving effective, too, with millions of people unknowingly opening malicious websites. In fact, 73% of Americans admit to scanning QR codes without checking if the source is legitimate.