Fake QR codes stuck over real ones at parking meters are costing people money, and the losses can keep going long after the first payment.

• Scammers cover legitimate parking QR codes with their own stickers that send you to a fake payment page.
• Victims lose anywhere from $20 to a few thousand dollars, often because they get signed up for repeat charges.
• The FTC issued a national warning, and Hawaii's Better Business Bureau reports the same scam growing year over year.
• Restaurant menus, event signs, and any other public QR code are just as easy to tamper with.
• Check for stickers or fraying, read the site name before tapping through, pay by credit card, and watch your statements.

Outlook: Expect more of these fake codes as more parking lots and businesses move to scan-to-pay, so treat any public QR code like a link from a stranger.