With the increase and rapid introduction of EV, charging stations have become an important part of our daily lives. However, as with every technological development, malicious people create opportunities for themselves in this field. This is where the recently widespread fraud method called quishing comes into play. So, what is quishing and how can you protect yourself?
Quishing trap at EV charging stations: They receive payments for fake QR codes
Quishing is a scam that uses QR codes at charging stations. Normally, when you come to a charging station, you can pay with an app or a card. But some users prefer to pay directly using QR codes to speed up the process.
This is where scammers come in. These malicious people paste fake codes over the original QR codes and redirect you to a fake payment page. You unwittingly enter your credit card details on this fake site and your information instantly ends up in the hands of fraudsters.
This scam is spreading rapidly, especially in countries where EVs are widely used, such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Unfortunately, a few cases have also been reported in Turkey. Therefore, it is worth being careful when using charging stations.
So, how can you protect yourself?
First, avoid using QR codes if possible. Instead, it is much safer to charge with an app or a card. If you must use a QR code, carefully examine whether the code is fake or not. Also, make sure that the page that opens in your browser starts with https.
Finally, keeping your QR code reader app up-to-date can also protect you from potential scams. While using the conveniences of technology, you can be prepared for such scam traps by being a little more careful.
What other measures do you think can be taken to prevent the spread of such scams? Please leave your comments in the comments section below.
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