'Don't take anything at face value': QR code scams grow as artificial intelligence becomes more advanced

CYBER SCAM. IT LITERALLY HAPPENED IN 15 20 MINUTES. THIS PERSON HAD ALL ACCESS TO MY ACCOUNTS. JENNIFER DRISCOLL WAS THE VICTIM OF A TRENDING CYBER ATTACK WHERE THE SCAMMERS USE A QR CODE. BUT THIS WASN’T AT A RESTAURANT OR A PUBLIC PLACE. IT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE IN HER OWN LIVING ROOM. WHILE SIGNING UP FOR A POPULAR STREAMING SERVICE. DOWNLOAD ON MY PHONE. IT WAS FINE, BUT THEN IT WAS TIME TO PUT IT ON THE TV. SO I WENT TO GO ENTER THE CODE IN, FOLLOW THE PROMPTS, AND THEN THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, IT SAID, YOU KNOW, SOME THIRD PARTY VERIFICATION. THE PROMPT TOLD HER TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR VERIFICATION, AND THAT’S WHEN THINGS TOOK A TURN. HE SAID, I’M GOING TO SEND YOU AN EMAIL TO LIKE TO MAKE SURE IT’S RIGHT THAT IT WAS ME. AND SO HE SENT ME AN EMAIL. HE SAID, CAN YOU CONFIRM THE EMAIL? AND I SAID, YES. I DID RECEIVE THE EMAIL. THAT’S WHEN ALL THE CHARGES STARTED COMING IN. AS SOON AS I OPENED THAT EMAIL. SO I THINK IT WAS THE EMAIL WITHIN 15 MINUTES, THE SCAMMER BOUGHT THREE VIRTUAL GIFT CARDS, SPENDING NEARLY $500 BEFORE JENNIFER COULD CONTACT HER BANK, QR CODES ARE EVERYWHERE, RIGHT FROM OUR CELL PHONES TO OUR TVS, EVEN TO FIND PARKING IN CERTAIN PLACES. LAW ENFORCEMENT TELLS US THAT RIGHT NOW, SCAMMERS ARE FINDING NEW WAYS TO GET YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION. OH, ABSOLUTELY. IT SCARES ME. SEAN SMITH, A DETECTIVE WITH THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, IS A PART OF THE TECH CRIMES TASK FORCE. NOBODY THINKS TWICE ABOUT A QR CODE BECAUSE YOU’RE THINKING IT’S LEGIT, RIGHT? AND THAT’S JUST THE NEXT STAGE OF EVOLUTION IN THE FRAUD OUT THERE. IN HIS RESEARCH, HE SAYS IT TAKES HIM JUST A FEW MINUTES TO CREATE A DECEIVING EMAIL THAT COULD LOOK LIKE IT CAME FROM A LEGITIMATE BRAND, OR EVEN A STREAMING SERVICE. DON’T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. DON’T CLICK ON LINKS. YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM OR OR ANY LINKS. EVEN IF YOU BELIEVE IT’S FROM A LEGIT SOURCE. THE OTHER THING IS CHECK YOUR BANK ACCOUNT REGULARLY. CHECK ALL OF YOUR CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS REGULARLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE CRIMINAL GETS YOUR INFORMATION. THEY MAY DO SMALL CHARGES THAT LOOK KIND OF INNOCUOUS. THE EXPERTS SAY RIGHT NOW, AI IS ONLY BECOMING MORE POWERFUL, SO IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE PRECAUTION EVEN INSIDE YOUR O

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office says there's been a nearly 4,000% increase in the number of artificial intelligence phishing emails. "Don't take anything for granted, don't click on links you don't know where they come from or any links if you don't believe it's from a legit source," said Sacramento County Detective Sean Smith, a member of the Sacramento Valley Tech Crimes Task Force.Smith said scammers are using everything from emails to QR codes to get access to your personal information."We have all these applications and our information on there saved (televisions). It's crazy to think within minutes you can have your identity stolen and all your credit cards," said Jennifer Driscoll.Driscoll was recently the victim of a QR code cyberscam while trying to sign up for a popular streaming service. She claims she scanned a QR code on her phone before a prompt asked her to call the streaming service's "customer service number."After the unknown person sent her a verification email, she says that within 15 minutes, someone made three different transactions, purchasing virtual gift cards for a total amount of $450. "She fell victim to a trending cyberattack which involved a socially engineered tactic utilizing QR codes, and a normal average person would never see it coming," said Katrina Rosseini, chief strategy officer for Immutiverse.The cybersecurity expert said it's a tactic that's only becoming more common as AI becomes more advanced. "Don't take anything on its face value anymore when you have an email that looks like it comes from something illegitimate. Check the sender's email, really simple things ... the other thing is check your bank account regularly, check all of your credit card statements regularly," said Smith.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office says there's been a nearly 4,000% increase in the number of artificial intelligence phishing emails.

"Don't take anything for granted, don't click on links you don't know where they come from or any links if you don't believe it's from a legit source," said Sacramento County Detective Sean Smith, a member of the Sacramento Valley Tech Crimes Task Force.

Smith said scammers are using everything from emails to QR codes to get access to your personal information.

"We have all these applications and our information on there saved (televisions). It's crazy to think within minutes you can have your identity stolen and all your credit cards," said Jennifer Driscoll.

Driscoll was recently the victim of a QR code cyberscam while trying to sign up for a popular streaming service. She claims she scanned a QR code on her phone before a prompt asked her to call the streaming service's "customer service number."

After the unknown person sent her a verification email, she says that within 15 minutes, someone made three different transactions, purchasing virtual gift cards for a total amount of $450.

"She fell victim to a trending cyberattack which involved a socially engineered tactic utilizing QR codes, and a normal average person would never see it coming," said Katrina Rosseini, chief strategy officer for Immutiverse.

The cybersecurity expert said it's a tactic that's only becoming more common as AI becomes more advanced.

"Don't take anything on its face value anymore when you have an email that looks like it comes from something illegitimate. Check the sender's email, really simple things ... the other thing is check your bank account regularly, check all of your credit card statements regularly," said Smith.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

'Don't take anything at face value': QR code scams grow as artificial intelligence becomes more advanced

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