Fake QR Code Letters Flood Switzerland with Malware

Residents across Switzerland are reporting a surge in paper letters that appear to come from the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss). These letters invite recipients to download a “weather disaster warning app” by scanning a QR code. However, instead of a legitimate app, the QR code installs malicious software on smartphones.

How the Scam Works

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP) have confirmed that these letters are fraudulent. Scammers are attempting to infect users’ phones with a virus called “Coper” (also known as “Octo2”), which is capable of stealing data from over 380 apps, including banking applications.

The fake app is disguised as the official Alertswiss app, which is used for public alerts. There are, however, some clear differences: the counterfeit app’s icon is different and the name is spelled “AlertSwiss” instead of “Alertswiss.” Visually, the fake icon is rectangular on a white background, while the real one is circular.

Who Is at Risk?

This malware specifically targets devices running the Android operating system. Once installed, the virus attempts to access sensitive information such as account credentials and banking passwords. Android users are strongly advised to carefully verify the source of any letters or apps before scanning QR codes.

What to Do If You Receive a Suspicious Letter

• The NCSC recommends that anyone who receives such a letter should file a complaint using the special form on their website and then destroy the letter.
• If you have accidentally installed the fake app, it is advised to perform a factory reset on your device to remove the virus from your gadget’s memory.