QR Codes at Events: Verify Before Signing In
A QR code on a slide, badge or poster is a link, not proof of the organizer’s identity. Verify the destination before signing in, installing software or paying.
By ZoraSafe · Content reviewed
What a QR code can and cannot establish
The FTC warns that QR codes can lead to deceptive destinations. A code does not authenticate a speaker or an offer. Scanning alone does not establish that credentials or payment details have been stolen.
Check with the organizer
At an in-person event, use the organizer’s published contact or staffed information point to confirm an unexpected offer. For a livestream, open the organizer’s known website independently.
- Preview the destination where your scanner supports it.
- Avoid signing in through a page opened only because a slide or chat instructed you to.
- Do not install a tool or disclose recovery codes to claim a giveaway.
Sources: FTC: Scammers hide harmful links in QR codes; FTC: How to recognize and avoid phishing scams
Respond according to the action taken
If you entered a password, secure that account. If you paid, contact the provider. If software was installed, seek trusted technical help. Do not assume the same response fits every scan.
Sources: FTC: What to do if you were scammed
Sources and product references
Reviewed 2026-10-08. Source dates and scope matter; a linked source supports the associated guidance, not every claim about every product.