Fake Bitcoin Wallets in Dortmund: New QR Code Scam
Plastic bags with fake paper wallet printouts were discovered in Dortmund's Weststadt. The QR codes lead to fraudulent websites. A pattern also known from charging stations.
The Scam: Fake Paper Wallets
The finds match a fraud scheme that German police stations have already warned about in various cities – including Bavaria, Hesse, and Baden-Wurttemberg, where such fake paper wallets have been repeatedly placed in public spaces.
How the scam 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 Known Pattern – Not New for Dortmund
The basic principle resembles another form of fraud that has also been an issue in Dortmund and the Ruhr area in the past: Phishing via manipulated QR codes at e-charging stations. Real QR stickers are replaced with deceptively authentic fakes.
Police Warning
"Anyone who finds cash or valuables should hand them in at the lost and found office. Supposed crypto finds are almost always fraud."
- Never scan QR codes from unknown papers
- Never pay "activation fees"
- Never 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 you visit the dangerous site
Protect yourself from QR code fraud
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. GDPR compliant, hosted in Germany.*