Different ways criminals contact victims

QR Phishing (Quishing)

QR phishing, also known as “Quishing”, is a scam where criminals use fake or tampered QR codes to trick people into visiting fraudulent websites or downloading harmful content. These QR codes may be created using free online tools and placed over genuine codes and are often shared through phishing emails, text messages, or displayed in public places such as car parks, charging stations, or payment machines. When scanned, they can lead to convincing fake websites that ask for personal details, login information, or payment. To protect yourself, always check QR codes for signs of tampering, avoid scanning codes that create a sense of urgency, and where possible visit the organisation’s official website or app directly instead. If you are unsure about a QR code, do not scan it and report it through the appropriate provider, such as the company responsible for the location or your email or phone provider.

Data Breaches

Data Breaches involve incidents where sensitive and confidential information is disclosed to an unauthorised party. Data breaches can happen accidently, or they can be perpetrated by fraudsters maliciously. Causes of data breaches can stem from technical vulnerabilities or human behaviour. The types of data that can be affected are wide-ranging and highly sensitive, from personal and health records to financial information such as bank details, card data, and account passwords. Data breaches can occur through phishing attacks; ransomware being installed maliciously and even through physical theft of laptops and devices. They can range in size from smaller incidents that only affect a small number of individuals all the way to large attacks on major corporations. The consequences of any sized attack can leave lasting reputational damage, costly fines and financial fraud and identity theft. The data obtained from a breach is often sold to fraudsters to facilitate a scam. ranging and highly sensitive, from personal and health records to financial information such as bank details, card data, and account passwords. Data breaches can occur through phishing.

Remote Access Tools & Screen Viewers

Remote access tools are commonly used by IT teams to troubleshoot technical issues without needing to be physically present, while screen viewers are often used for presentations or training sessions and can allow for collaborative working from all across the world. However, remote access tools and screen viewing software are applications that fraudsters sometimes use to gain full control of a device remotely or allows the fraudster to view sensitive content on your device over the internet. Once access is granted, fraudsters can potentially control your device, see everything on the device and access personal and sensitive information, including passwords and secure apps such as mobile banking. This can result in loss of personal data, unauthorised transactions, and loss of account access. To achieve this, fraudsters often impersonate trusted individuals, such as IT staff or customer support, to gain trust before requesting remote access.