During the halftime show of this year’s Super Bowl, a floating QR code took a star turn in a prominently placed advertisement. That ad, which was run by cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase, consisted of nothing more than a multi-colored QR code slowly bouncing across the television screen for almost a minute without any other identifying information or attribution. At the ad’s end, Coinbase’s name and a link to its website briefly appeared. Viewers could use their cellphone cameras to see where the QR code led or patiently wait and hope that the ad would explain what was going on.

So many people reportedly followed the link from the QR code that the resulting traffic overwhelmed and crashed the Coinbase website landing page. The ready availability of the code clearly worked for ad viewers and Coinbase. It appears that while QR codes may be a welcome convenience, they may also be a potential tool for the commission of fraud. It is increasingly important, therefore, that the public be sufficiently educated regarding the risk presented by these codes.

What Is a QR Code?

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