New ‘Brushing Scam’ Alert: Beware of Unexpected Gifts with QR Code Traps

(KNSI) – Local law enforcement is warning residents about a new scam that drops a seemingly harmless gift on your doorstep, but can leave you holding the bag when it comes to someone snatching your personal information.

It’s called a brushing scam.

Fraudsters send someone a package from a place like Amazon or another company that may contain rings, bracelets, necklaces, Bluetooth speakers, etc. The gift will have a person’s name and address but no information on where it came from. Inside, there’s note with a QR code for the victim to scan to find out who sent it. Once scanned, all the information from that phone will be sent to a hacker who can gain access to any personal and financial information connected to the device and potentially drain bank accounts.

Officials say the item can be kept or tossed, but the QR code should never be scanned for any reason.

Authorities warn QR code scams appear everywhere, including parking meters. The say to watch for signs of code tampering because criminals have been known to paste malicious QR codes over legitimate ones in public settings.

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