As visitors flock to Riverside for the annual Festival of Lights, city officials are warning people to be wary of fake QR codes posted by scammers at parking toll booths.
Fraudulent QR codes direct people to websites requesting credit or debit card information, in an apparent attempt to steal financial information.
“Scammers add different QR code details to an existing QR code, which directs them to a similar-looking website,” said Ryan Railsback, public information officer for the police department.
Railsback said the city has tried to find and remove fake QR codes, “but we want the public to be aware of it.” He recommended going directly to the city’s parking website instead of scanning the city’s QR code to be safe.
Attending the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa Festival of Lights has been a holiday ritual for many locals and out-of-town visitors for decades, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators each year.
