Business owners in the kingdom are being urged to ensure that they periodically check all their payment QR codes themselves to ensure they have not been tampered with.
Hidd Police Station head Colonel Dr Osama Bahar warned that scammers have been known to tamper with the codes in a bid to transfer funds into an illicit account.
He recently spoke on the Al Aman social media programme where he also praised financial technological advancements in helping in the battle against fraud in Bahrain.
“Digital financial services in Bahrain are very advanced,” said Col Dr Bahar. “They are also very easy to use, which is a significant advantage for citizens and residents in the country. People can just pay by scanning QR codes on their phones. But to ensure that they are working correctly, business owners are required to constantly check the QR codes themselves.”
“You are responsible for any changes to the codes,” he said. “Therefore, it is crucial that you periodically check them yourselves to ensure they have not been compromised and take every measure not to allow anybody, except you, to alter them.
“Make sure the QR code for payment is put in a secure visible location and keep an eye on it to ensure that no-one can alter it in any way, such as placing a sticker on it, for example.”
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There have been a rising number of QR code scams, where scammers replace legitimate QR codes with malicious ones that lead to phishing sites or trigger malware downloads.
Scammers use these codes on everything from parking meters and restaurant menus to unexpected packages and emails.
People can protect themselves by avoiding scanning codes that appear in unexpected places, double checking websites associated to them, and by looking for signs of physical tampering.
When in doubt, customers should always talk to the business directly and ensure that the code they plan to use is legitimate.
BenefitPay scams have also caused concern in Bahrain over recent months with several arrests made in connection to fraudulent activities. Scammers often pose as employees of BenefitPay, banks or other businesses to trick victims into revealing sensitive information.
Those who have been targeted should send a report to the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security by calling the 992 hotline or via WhatsApp on 17108108. Victims can also use the directorate’s online reporting form.
- To learn about the latest scam methods, join the Financial and Cyber Crimes WhatsApp groups, available in Arabic and English, or visit the @acees_bh Instagram page, clicking on the link in the bio.
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