New scams use fraudulent Pix payment QR codes for consumer bills and boletos

Fraudsters know that using the QR code is tempting to consumers because they can often obtain a 5% discount on payments using it. According to Kaspersky, fraudsters tend to send fake phone or internet bills, and they are upgrading their techniques. They can intercept emails being sent to consumers, edit the information, and resend the bills containing a fake QR code that directs payments to the fraudster. One of the ways to avoid this scam is to verify the CNPJ (company identification number) of the account you are paying the bill to.

The other scam on the rise is disguised as a sales deal offered by online video streaming platforms. The offer usually contains a quarterly payment plan at a low price, and only provides a QR code as a form of payment. Avoiding fake payment QR codes is difficult because payment QR codes are legitimate and cannot be easily taken down like fake illegitimate websites. It is important for companies and consumers to learn how to identify the characteristics of a fake payment QR code.