Junk mail/scammers and QR codes

Bomber2012

Bomber2012

Well-Known Member
I have been receiving heaps of scam txts mainly to click on the link to receive a delivery.
Funnily enough it started about the same time we have been asked to use QR code’s

I reckon I get at least 3-4 a day sometimes even more .
It has taught me one thing that I will never click on a link/answer a Suss txt message again.
What are your thoughts?
 
Hylux

Hylux

Active Member
I get 4 or 5 a day on my telstra work phone which has no QR stuff. My phone is with optus and had none.
 
Triton14

Triton14

Well-Known Member
We see it every day.

If you dont know about it by now & your not used to it then give up all things modern tech.

Emails get sent by a common contact name all the time but its not their email address so be mindful of that.

Company's, banks etc now give out advice on how yo avoid scam communications so read up!!
In saying that I got a msg from my usual bank number once & asked me to click a link, something a bank would never do!
I contacted my bank & they said it was a scam.

Dont trust any communication without checking the source & then contact them instead, directly through known numbers or channels.

There is also this link if your willing to follow it??

www.scamwatch.gov.au

Report a scam

www.scamwatch.gov.au www.scamwatch.gov.au

Or this one

www.service.nsw.gov.au

Report identity theft, scams or cybercrime

How to spot a scam or fake email and where to report it. Find out what you can do if your identity has been stolen.
www.service.nsw.gov.au www.service.nsw.gov.au
 
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Bomber2012

Bomber2012

Well-Known Member
Triton14 said:
We see it every day.

If you dont know about it by now & your not used to it then give up all things modern tech.

Emails get sent by a common contact name all the time but its not their email address so be mindful of that.

Company's, banks etc now give out advice on how yo avoid scam communications so read up!!
In saying that I got a msg from my usual bank number once & asked me to click a link, something a bank would never do!
I contacted my bank & they said it was a scam.

Dont trust any communication without checking the source & then contact them instead, directly through known numbers or channels.

There is also this link if your willing to follow it??

www.scamwatch.gov.au

Report a scam

www.scamwatch.gov.au www.scamwatch.gov.au

Or this one

www.service.nsw.gov.au

Report identity theft, scams or cybercrime

How to spot a scam or fake email and where to report it. Find out what you can do if your identity has been stolen.
www.service.nsw.gov.au www.service.nsw.gov.au
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice but I don’t have time during the day to piss fart around being put hold by banks etc , easier , quicker to ignore it all together.
If it is for real they will contact me
 
C

Colly18

Well-Known Member
Bomber2012 said:
I have been receiving heaps of scam txts mainly to click on the link to receive a delivery.
Funnily enough it started about the same time we have been asked to use QR code’s

I reckon I get at least 3-4 a day sometimes even more .
It has taught me one thing that I will never click on a link/answer a Suss txt message again.
What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
We had a similar experience with the parcel delivery sms messages on a regular basis and a few other types of sms messages trying to get us to click on a link. They were quite regular (daily) for a while, but have eased off now to maybe one a week. We used to be free of these until compulsory signing in with QR codes came in. I'm not sure there's a fault in the QR system or whether it was a case of our phone numbers 'getting lose' in the early days when we manually signed in on several occasions? Anyway our standard practice is block the number and delete the message + never respond. We're also in the habit of not answering the phone from unknown numbers. If it's a genuine call they will leave a message on message bank.
 
CTL

CTL

Well-Known Member
IMHO the increase in spam texts is unrelated to QR codes or Covid sign ins. Just a coincidence and a sign of the evolving spam “business”.
Spam phone calls are 99% generated by a computer program calling random telephone numbers. Answer the call and speak, the computer switches the call to an operator. Simply and effective and takes millions out of Aust each year.
Then the “business” evolved to spoofing phone numbers to trick you into answering the call and get around those who do answer “caller ID blocked” calls. Spoofed numbers can even be police stations and most are genuine numbers. Call them back and the real owner of the number has no idea what has been happening. Again these spoof numbers are randomly generated by a computer program.
But as we are relying more and more on text messages for things like appointment reminders, bill reminders, business notifications, etc, the “business” is now switching to text messages to spam you. Email spams have been reducing in numbers whilst text messages have been increasing.

As for QR codes, get used to them, they are about to become a huge part of your daily lives, much the same as barcodes.
 
cookie64

cookie64

4x4 Earth Contributer
I too have noticed an incredible increase in the daily spam messages, I get an incredible amount of spam but this is a new way for them to catch people / authenticating real numbers potentially for a quick scam or to sell off in a database.

Unfortunately SA Government Health has been caught out keeping our QR Code check-ins for longer than the initial 28 days that they then promised would be deleted from the records. SA Health have deemed them to be "medical records" and intent on holding on to them, now there were a number of SA Health employees that breached the computer use policy when they looked up a persons record when he stabbed his dad to death, they were subsequently dealt with but who knows who where or when they may be accessed in the future, time will tell if people maintain the QR Code Check-Ins here in Adelaide.

In South Australia it is mandatory and if you don't have a smart phone then you need to fill in a paper record

Stay Safe, Stay Well

cheers
 
M

muffin man

Well-Known Member
In SA there are fewer people wearing masks as time goes on compared to some weeks back. Pointless waste of time with zero cases. Haven't noticed any unwanted sms yet.
 
cookie64

cookie64

4x4 Earth Contributer
muffin man said:
In SA there are fewer people wearing masks as time goes on compared to some weeks back. Pointless waste of time with zero cases. Haven't noticed any unwanted sms yet.
Click to expand...
Agree, it starts to undo the good work that has been accomplished to date by the authorities, walk in with a mask, sit down, take the mask off, doesn't make a great deal of sense particularly when there are no cases here.

Nieces son had to cancel his engagement party as he couldn't have more than 70 guests in the venue they had booked, just pointless really.

Bemusing when the Commissioner relaxed restrictions just before his step-daughter got married - that was convenient wasn't it :rolleyes:

cheers
 
peterfermtech

peterfermtech

Well-Known Member
QR code is basically only text which generally takes you to a website. It's what you do at that website that is the risk. So don't go clicking or giving info unless you are sure of the website.
 
typhoeus

typhoeus

Well-Known Member
I've been getting these texts that don't even show a number, they come labelled as' voicemail ' and have a link to a website in them. I just delete and Block them . And I know these aren't connected to QR codes, because I don't scan them on my phone. Use the work phone for that.
 
Rusty Panels

Rusty Panels

Well-Known Member
All you can do is block them but, they will call or text again from a different number. I haven't had any for a while but have noticed that they suddenly appear if I am selling something on Gumtree.
 
Bomber2012

Bomber2012

Well-Known Member
CTL said:
QR have been around for ages, long before Covid.
Have a look at the new payment options the QR code is going to bring to everyday shopping.
Click to expand...
Correct , but I had never used a QR code until it was mandatory to do so.
 
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