How to check a QR code for scams
- Start the camera and point it at the code, or upload a photo or screenshot of it. A link or UPI text you received in a message can be pasted into the box instead.
- Read what the code contains. For a link you see the real website; for a UPI code you see the payee name, UPI ID, amount and note.
- Go through the safety check. Red items are strong warning signs; yellow items mean you should look more closely before continuing.
- If anything looks wrong, do not open the link or enter your UPI PIN. Close the page and contact the business through a number or app you already trust.
What the checker looks for
- “Scan to receive money”
- A UPI code whose note or name talks about a refund, prize, cashback, reward or job payment. Paying a UPI QR always sends money from you, so this is the most common UPI scam.
- Pre-filled amount
- Flags UPI codes that ask for a fixed amount, so you compare it with what you actually owe before entering your PIN.
- Look-alike brand sites
- Addresses that mention a bank, payment app or shop (SBI, HDFC, Paytm, Amazon, IRCTC and others) but are not that company’s real website, including tricks like “paytrn” for “paytm”.
- Hidden destinations
- Link shorteners, bare IP addresses, addresses with an “@” disguise and special look-alike letters (punycode) that hide where you will end up.
- App file downloads
- Links that download an .apk or other app file directly. Fake “KYC”, “electricity bill” and “bank” apps are a common way to steal OTPs.
- Pressure words
- KYC, account blocked, refund, prize, penalty and similar words in the link, used to rush you into acting.
When to use it
Someone sent you a QR code to “receive” money
Marketplace buyers, “refund” calls and prize messages often send a QR code. Check it here first: the checker shows that it is a payment from you.
A code on a parking meter, poster or counter
Scammers paste their own stickers over real codes. Upload a photo and see whether the payee or website matches the business.
QR codes in emails and PDFs
Email filters cannot read links inside a QR image. Take a screenshot and paste it here to see the real link.
Shop owners checking their own counter code
Scan your printed UPI code now and then to make sure nobody has covered it with theirs.
The one rule that stops most UPI QR scams
Scanning a UPI QR code and entering your PIN always sends money from your account. You never need to scan anything or enter a PIN to receive money; the sender only needs your UPI ID.
So if anyone asks you to scan a code to get a refund, cashback, prize, salary or advance for a job, it is a scam, whatever the screen says.
| You want to… | Do you scan a QR? | Do you enter your UPI PIN? |
|---|---|---|
| Pay a shop or person | Yes | Yes |
| Receive money | No | No |
| Get a refund or cashback | No | No |
What it cannot do
- It uses fixed rules on your device. It does not visit the link or look it up in an online blocklist, so a new scam site with a normal-looking name can pass without warnings.
- No warning signs does not mean a code is safe. Always check the website name and the payee name in your UPI app yourself.
- It cannot tell whether a real-looking UPI ID belongs to the shop you are standing in. Ask the shopkeeper to confirm the name your app shows.
Questions people ask
Is the code or link sent anywhere?
No. The camera image, uploaded photo and pasted text are all read and checked in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and the link is never opened for you.
The checker found no warning signs. Is the code safe?
Not necessarily. It catches common tricks, but a scam can use an ordinary-looking address. Check the site name and the payee name in your UPI app before you pay or log in.
I already paid a scam QR code. What should I do?
Call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or report it at cybercrime.gov.in as soon as possible, and inform your bank. Quick reporting gives the best chance of stopping the money.
Can it check barcodes?
It reads barcodes in browsers that support them, but barcodes only hold product numbers, so the scam checks apply to QR codes, links and UPI payment text.
Last updated 24 October 2026 by the QRizeo team.