PII & QR Codes: How to keep your information safe
Learn how to safeguard your clients' personal information when creating QR Codes, as well as our PII promise.
Sadly, as technology advances, so does cybercrime. Criminals may target QR Code users with a deceptive design that covers a legitimate brand's QR Code, or pique curiosity with an intentionally mysterious design that lacks messaging—all attempts to steal private information like banking details and email addresses.
What is Personally Identifiable Information (PII)?
PII is not just your email and phone number. The US Department of Labor defines it as information that can be used to trace an individual's identity, either alone or when combined with other information that's linked that individual. Meaning that info like your location, payment details, and even the unique identifiers of your device can put you at risk of cybercrime if it falls into the wrong hands.
Phishing links or malicious redirects
Hackers often embed a suspicious link in a QR Code on printed flyers or physical objects, leading users to sketchy sites and exposing their credentials to theft.
Unsecure QR Code generators
Even well-meaning platforms offering free QR Code features can be at risk of exposing your information to hackers due to a lack of security. Always use a trusted platform to create your code. Your safety measures will save you the long run.
The QR-Codes.com promise
Your information is safe with us. We follow strict security protocols for all members, whether you are a free or enterprise user. Our dynamic QR Codes only capture the following data:
Date and time of the scan
Device type (smartphone, tablet)
Operating system (iOS or Android)
General location (city or region)
We don't capture PII. Your location details are only collected if your device setting allows, and contact details like your phone number or address, collected through contact forms, are not accessible to QR-Codes.com.
How can QR Code users stay safe from cybercrime?
Use HTTPS links
You can tell a site is secure by looking for the padlock symbol or 'HTTPS' in the search bar. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) uses encryption to safeguard the data exchanged between the browser and the server.
Only use reputable platforms
Reduce the amount of data you share online in general - not just when using QR Codes. We can guarantee the safety of your information when you use our platform but you may still be vulnerable to hackers elsewhere on the internet.