Chinese fraudsters turn to QR codes to spread Trojans and viruses

QR codes, originally invented by Japan’s car parts maker Denso, have become so ubiquitous in China that even street hawkers now use them for electrical payments, as seen here in Beijing. It may look harmless enough, with its random pattern of tiny black squares on a white grid, but the next time you scan one of China’s ubiquitous QR codes, you could end up seriously out of pocket. Because the seemingly innocuous barcode may be hiding malevolent software ready to latch itself onto your smartphone and drain your bank account. A recent spate of scams involving QR codes – or quick response codes – has shone a spotlight on the issue of security in mobile payments and sparked calls for the authorities to do more to protect consumers.