I hadn't really heard much about this but apparently four out of five results returned when asking Google for a 'bitcoin qr generator' lead to scam websites. The sites then generated a QR code that encodes an address controlled by the scammers instead of the one necessary for the user.
Apparently instead of scammers making their own fake QR codes they have a blockchain explorer API to generate the QR for their address.
This scam falls into the reported $4 billion of digital currency stolen in Ciphertrace AML report.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/billybambrough/2019/09/12/researchers-have-issued-a-serious-bitcoin-qr-code-warning/#3ef6ff256d12It is inevitable to have scammers in every technology that's why bitcoin could also have the risk of being attacked by it. Newbies are mostly the victim because of being naive about how crypto space works and what threats are in it. Now attackers are on it, using QR codes to manipulate and have everything in their hands, we can't stop them from doing so, but we can watch out and be careful in every move we are about to do inside the crypto space. Making sure that we are using a reliable and trusted QR generator could avoid you from losing something irreversible.
The best thing to do is always doubled check and compare the QR code address given above(it should above the QR code the address given).
Time to time scammers are getting smarter, they always find ways to get fall in trap those newbies victim. As a cryptocurrency user just always be careful in having a transaction. Verifying first in the manual before you click button confirm. Anyway if you know how to protect your mobile phone from possible malware infection in reading QR code, you must read this.
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-protect-yourself-from-malicious-qr-codes-2487772