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Let's face it: QR codes appear on everything from review prompts to menus. "Are these little pixel squares safe, or do they open the door to quishing nightmares?" is a question you're smart enough to ask yourself. (Just so you know, that's QR code phishing.) Here's how to maintain their efficacy and security.
1. Quishing's Ascent—And Why It Concerns You
Quishing is very popular. Attacks using QR codes for phishing grew by 25% in 2025 and made for 22% of all phishing attempts in 2023. Attackers are deceiving customers into scanning harmful links by superimposing phoney QR tags on menus and posters.
In one retail case, a store saw legitimate QR scans drop 15% after fake codes were plastered over their real ones—resulting in massive costs and lost trust.
So yes, QR codes can be a threat—if left unchecked.
2. But Legitimate Review QR Codes Are Still Safe
Google now provides a built-in QR code that allows you to collect reviews straight from your Google Business Profile. Customers scan the generated dynamic, branded code to submit reviews; there are no phishing or generic links. It is trackable and trustworthy.
In summary, QR codes from reliable websites (such as Google) are a safe and convenient method of directing clients to reviews.
3. Establish Trust: Effective Techniques
Here's how to utilise QR codes securely and stylishly:
- Brand your QR codes with logos or frames so they don’t look generic.
- Protect printed codes—laminate them, place them visibly, and check regularly that they haven’t been tampered with. Retailers are using tamper-proof laminates and overnight removals to prevent overlay scams.
- Place them next to employees (although this might not always be possible or advisable) or loosely relate them to context, such as "Scan here to leave us a Google review," to ensure customers that they are authentic;
- Place the QR codes in the focus of security cameras and mark those areas as CCTV-monitored;
- Use single-stage redirect - in this case, the user goes straight to the target page; in the case of a multi-step redirect, when the user visits an intermediary page or application ( quite often unknowingly and for marketing tracking purposes ), make sure your business has complete control of the intermediary step and uses secure connection protocols like https.
- Have your designer place trust elements within or next to the QR code - picture of a shield and a reassuring text like: "You will be securely redirected to our review page", for example.
- Make sure the QR codes are printed on the marketing material and not used as a sticker over it. As perpetrators use printed QR codes over the genuine ones, the smooth surface of printed QR codes will always confirm authenticity.
4. Protect Employees, Clients and your reputation
Train your team to know what real QR codes look like and never to place unverified codes.
Advise customers to scan active, official codes only—not those on flyers or handwritten notes.
Encourage mobile security (where possible): keep phones updated, use built-in browser protections, and avoid suspicious pop-ups.
Use secure, branded QR codes for reviews generated by Google’s GBP embedded tools wherever available.
Pair all that with tools like The Colour Stand — a physical, trusted way to prompt review taps or scans.
Keep all this image-rich, frequently posted, and policy-compliant—ties to Google`s GBP (or any other review request platform) review policies and best practices.
Layering awareness with practical safeguards keeps trust high—and quishing low.
5. Upcoming Defences: Fraud Recognition Technology
To show how hard academics are working, researchers have developed artificial intelligence (AI) tools that analyse a QR code's pixel patterns to detect fraud without the need for scanning. With an accuracy of more than 91%, these models were able to differentiate between dangerous and benign codes.
While this tech isn’t in your countertop printer yet, it shows promise for future QR code platforms—and underscores how seriously the threat is taken.
QR codes are not inherently dangerous—but unlabeled, unverified, or unauthorised ones? That’s quishing territory. Stay secure by branding your codes, safeguarding placements, and promoting awareness. Let customers scan with confidence—and focus on the growth, not the hacks.
Because trust isn't just SEO gold—it’s your business's invisible security shield.