Cyber Safety Case File · Student Challenge

The QR Code Mystery

QR Phishing and Suspicious URLs

Problem Statement

Story

Students at Northstar College notice a poster near the cafeteria that says: “Scan now to claim your ₹2,000 student meal voucher. Offer expires in 10 minutes!” A QR code appears below the message. The poster uses the college logo and asks students to scan the code, sign in with their college email, and confirm their student ID.

A student scans the code using a phone camera. Before entering any details, the student notices that the website address looks unfamiliar and that the page is urging them to act immediately.

Your mission: Act as a cybersecurity investigator. Examine the clues, identify the risks, and decide what the student should do.

Evidence: Dummy QR Code and Website Clues

Dummy illustration only — this image does not encode a URL and must not be scanned.

Clues found on the landing page

Displayed offer: “Claim your ₹2,000 voucher now!”
Website address shown after scanning: https://northstar-student-reward.example/claim
The official college website is known to use a different domain.
The page requests a college email, password, and student ID.
A countdown timer says the offer will disappear in 10 minutes.

Investigator’s note: The .example domain above is reserved for examples and is not a real rewards website. Never enter information on unfamiliar QR destinations.

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