Close Menu
  • Home
  • UNSUBSCRIBE
  • News
  • Lifestyle
  • Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Travel
Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp
Trending
  • Free People Has so Many $20 Sale Finds Right Now: Shop Dresses & More
  • Indiana high school students protest gun violence
  • Scientists develop ‘glue gun’ that 3D prints bone grafts directly onto fractures
  • Investigators reveal full strength of Kohberger DNA evidence: ‘amazing’
  • Grab the LG 100-inch QNED evo AI TV for $500 off at Amazon
  • US Open: Novak Djokovic will ‘keep fighting’ at Grand Slams but admits Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are ‘too good’ | Tennis News
  • Kaley Cuoco’s Dark Hair Photos at US Open 2025
  • Bodycam video shows wild boar in Florida home
Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp
Baynard Media
  • Home
  • UNSUBSCRIBE
  • News
  • Lifestyle
  • Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Travel
Baynard Media
Home»Tech»Hackers are now sending scam QR codes via physical mail — and they can steal your passwords
Tech

Hackers are now sending scam QR codes via physical mail — and they can steal your passwords

EditorBy EditorNovember 19, 2024No Comments2 Mins Read
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit Telegram Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

We’ve warned you about QR code scams before. Now, we’re warning you about a new QR code scam – one that may show up in your physical mailbox.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in Switzerland has issued a new alert based on a new scheme from hackers and scammers that weaponizes the postal service. The scam involves a physical piece of mail arriving at a target’s door, urging them to download an app. 

The app, which can be downloaded via a QR code displayed on the mailer, is actually malware disguised as a legitimate app that can steal data from the user’s device.

A new type of QR code scam

The hackers and scammers behind this fraudulent scheme imitate Switzerland’s Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, right down to the official governmental seals on the mailed document. The mailer urges recipients to scan the QR code in order to download a “Severe Weather Warning App” for Android devices. 

When the QR code is scanned, users aren’t taken to the official Google Play store, but instead a third-party site. Once there, they are asked to download an “AlertSwiss” app.

Mashable Light Speed

As first reported on by The Register, there are some obvious discrepancies between the hacker’s app and the real one that it copies. There is a genuine government app with the same name, but it’s called “Alertswiss,” without the capitalized “S.” In addition, while the fake app attempts to mimic the app logo, it isn’t exactly the same.

The fake app, when downloaded, installs a “variant of the Coper trojan” malware on the target’s device. This malware can log the user’s activity on the device, stealing passwords, messages, notifications, as well as other sensitive information. In addition, phishing pages can be automatically displayed on the infected device as well.

NCSC told The Register that this was the first time it had ever come across malware being delivered via physical mail in this way. 

Unlike email, there is a cost associated with sending each piece of physical mail, so this attack method must be delivering some level of success to the scammers behind it.

If bad actors aren’t already looking at replicating this campaign outside of Switzerland yet, this warning should serve as an important notice to be on the look out for QR code scams being sent to your physical address in the not-so-distant future.



Source link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleThe best telescope deals we’ve found ahead of Black Friday 2024
Next Article Washington state Dem Rep. Gregerson pushes to make homelessness a civil right
Editor
  • Website

Related Posts

Tech

Grab the LG 100-inch QNED evo AI TV for $500 off at Amazon

September 6, 2025
Tech

Robolox announces TikTok-like shortform video app, AI tools for creators

September 6, 2025
Tech

I’ve been on Liquid Glass for months. I love 3 features in particular.

September 6, 2025
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Categories
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Travel
Recent Posts
  • Free People Has so Many $20 Sale Finds Right Now: Shop Dresses & More
  • Indiana high school students protest gun violence
  • Scientists develop ‘glue gun’ that 3D prints bone grafts directly onto fractures
  • Investigators reveal full strength of Kohberger DNA evidence: ‘amazing’
  • Grab the LG 100-inch QNED evo AI TV for $500 off at Amazon
calendar
September 2025
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« Aug    
Recent Posts
  • Free People Has so Many $20 Sale Finds Right Now: Shop Dresses & More
  • Indiana high school students protest gun violence
  • Scientists develop ‘glue gun’ that 3D prints bone grafts directly onto fractures
About

Welcome to Baynard Media, your trusted source for a diverse range of news and insights. We are committed to delivering timely, reliable, and thought-provoking content that keeps you informed
and inspired

Categories
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Travel
Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest WhatsApp
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • UNSUBSCRIBE
© 2025 copyrights reserved

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.