ScamGuard

📱 QR Code Scam Checker — Quishing Detection

Quishing attacks doubled in 2026. Stickers over real QRs on parking meters, menus, and flyers send you to phishing sites that look like the real thing. Decode the QR, paste the URL — ScamGuard checks it in seconds.

What ScamGuard checks for

  • Detects quishing (QR phishing) URLs
  • Expands shortened links safely
  • Flags fake parking-meter & charity QRs
  • Spots payment-page lookalikes
  • Safe inspection — you never visit the link
  • Free verdict in seconds

⚠️ Red flags and warning signs

  • QR sticker placed over another QR
  • URL preview goes to a non-brand domain
  • Asks for card details before showing a service
  • Shortened link (bit.ly etc.) hiding the real URL
  • Found on parking meters, flyers, or unsolicited emails

Real scam examples

Parking meter quishing

Sticker QR on a meter takes you to parking-pay.online — looks real, takes your card, no parking purchased.

Email QR bypass

An 'invoice' email with a QR instead of a link — bypasses your email filter and lands on a credential phishing page.

How to protect yourself

  • Always preview the URL before tapping a QR
  • Never scan QR codes from stickers in public
  • Pay parking through the city's official app
  • Decode email QRs and check the URL first
  • Run anything suspicious through ScamGuard

ScamGuard tools you can use right now

Frequently asked questions

What is quishing?

Quishing = QR code phishing. Scammers stick fake QR codes over real ones (parking meters, restaurant menus, charity flyers) so when you scan, you land on a phishing site instead of the real one.

How do I check a QR code safely?

Scan it with a camera app that previews the URL (most modern phones do this). Copy the URL and paste it into ScamGuard before tapping. Never tap a QR preview URL you don't trust.

Is a QR code in an email safe?

Treat email QR codes with extra suspicion — attackers use them to bypass URL-scanning filters. Decode the QR with a scanner app, paste the URL into ScamGuard, then decide.

Parking meter QR — real or fake?

Many cities never put QR codes on meters. If there's a sticker QR (especially one that looks recently added), it's almost certainly a scam. Pay via the city's official app or website.

Is it free?

Yes.

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