Fake paper wallets used as bait
The finds match a scheme that police in several German states have warned about, including Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Wurttemberg, where fake paper wallets were repeatedly left in public spaces, according to police.
How the scheme works
- Laying the bait: Scammers distribute plastic bags with official-looking paper wallet printouts
- Sparking curiosity: The papers suggest access to a wallet with high Bitcoin balance
- Scanning the QR code: Passersby scan the code and land on a manipulated website
- Data theft: Victims are tricked into paying "activation fees" or entering sensitive data
A pattern seen before in Dortmund
The pattern resembles another form of fraud previously reported in Dortmund and the Ruhr area: phishing via manipulated QR codes at charging stations, where genuine QR stickers are replaced with fakes.
Police Warning
Police advise handing in found cash or valuables at the lost and found office. Supposed crypto finds are almost always fraudulent, according to police.
- Do not scan QR codes found on unknown notes
- Do not pay "activation fees"
- Do not enter personal data on unknown websites
How QRTrust Protects
- 6-Schicht-Sicherheitscheck – Check against PhishTank, Google Safe Browsing, and AI database
- Redirect-Verfolgung – Detection of final destination
- Typosquatting-Erkennung – Recognizes fake domains
- Instant warning – Before the site is opened
QRTrust checks QR codes before opening
Check QR code now →Sources
- Instagram: @do.report
- Police warnings from Bavaria, Hesse, Baden-Wurttemberg
About QRTrust
QRTrust is Germany's first QR code security platform, developed in Dortmund. AI-powered real-time detection, a local threat database and multi-layered security checks protect citizens, authorities and businesses from quishing attacks. GDPR compliant, hosted in Germany.