That friendly QR code on your New Orleans EV charger might not be your friend at all.
Entergy is warning local EV drivers after fraudsters reportedly slapped fake QR-code stickers on public charging stations around the city, sending drivers to bogus payment pages instead of the real thing. Scan one of those counterfeits and you could be handing over your personal and financial information, utility officials say. Residents are being urged to check chargers for signs of tampering before pointing a phone at any code.
In a post on X, Entergy said several city chargers had been tampered with, with stickers placed over payment QR codes that tell users to "scan to pay," as reported by WWLTV. The utility added that it does not use QR codes for payments and asked anyone who thinks they were hit by the scam to call 1-800-368-3749.
How the scam works
Scammers are pulling a simple but effective trick. They cover legitimate QR codes with their own stickers so that when you scan, your phone opens a fake payment portal that quietly collects your card details or asks for app login credentials. Security reporting has dubbed this tactic "quishing."
Design News notes that quishing leans on drivers' urgency to charge and can slip past ordinary browser checks. Entergy's consumer-safety guidance also flags quishing and stresses that customers should stick to Entergy-approved payment methods and official apps when charging, according to Entergy.
What to do if you scanned a code
If you entered payment or personal information after scanning a sketchy QR code, move fast. Contact your bank or card issuer right away to dispute any suspicious charges and freeze affected accounts. The FTC advises calling the company using the number on your statement, not any number a scammer gave you, and filing a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The BBB urges victims to report fake QR codes to its Scam Tracker so others know what to watch for.
You should also alert Entergy and local police so the tampered charger can be checked out or taken offline.
Why New Orleans drivers should care
Entergy runs a public EV charging program across New Orleans and says it has installed roughly 30 Level 2 chargers at 25 sites, including parks, libraries and attractions. That footprint means quishing can hit chargers that a lot of people rely on, according to Entergy. Those high-traffic locations are great for drivers and, unfortunately, just as appealing for scammers.
City and utility officials are urging charger operators and everyday users to watch for anything that looks off, especially unfamiliar stickers, and to report suspicious QR codes immediately.
When in doubt, skip random QR codes, use the official charging network app whenever possible, and call Entergy's customer line if a station looks tampered with. A quick glance or a short phone call can be the difference between a routine top-off and a fraudulent charge that takes over your afternoon.
