NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

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 pasted over legitimate ones have all become part of the modern fraud playbook.

The latest warning from federal authorities shows just how far these tactics have gone. Criminals are now mailing out packages that people never ordered. Inside these boxes is a QR code that, when scanned, can lead to stolen personal details, drained bank accounts or malware running silently in the background of a phone.

QR CODE SCAMS RISE AS 73% OF AMERICANS SCAN WITHOUT CHECKING

What you need to know about the QR code scam

The scheme is a twist on what is known as a

See Full Page