Sweet Shop Owner in Gonda Changed QR Code, and Customers' Money Went to Scammer's Account

QR codes are now ubiquitous: they are used for payments in stores, viewing menus in hotels, booking tickets online, or navigating to websites, requiring only scanning the code with a mobile phone camera. In mere seconds, the device reads the information encoded inside. However, many users notice that there are large square markers located in the three corners of the QR code, while such a marker is absent in the bottom right corner. This raises the question: is the fourth corner intentionally left empty when creating a QR code, or is there some technical reason behind it?

These large square signs play a very important role. They allow the camera or scanner to understand where the QR code is, what its size is, and in what orientation it should be read. Without these markers, it would be much harder for a mobile device to quickly and correctly recognize the QR code.

The large markers located in the three corners of the QR code are called Finder Patterns. They usually consist of three square layers: an outer black square, an inner white square, and a small black square in the center. Their main task is to help the scanner identify the QR code. When the camera is pointed at the QR code, it first detects these three signs. Thanks to them, the system understands that a QR code is in front of it.

Next, the scanner analyzes the distance between these three markers and their relative positions, which allows it to determine the direction and scale of the code. It is important to note that these markers aid recognition even if the QR code is slightly tilted, flipped over, or viewed from an angle. This is why you do not need to hold your phone perfectly straight to scan a QR code.

A natural question arises: if having blocks in three corners simplifies recognition, why is the fourth corner not equipped with a similar element? The reason lies in the fact that every small black and white square in a QR code carries a specific meaning. It is in these small cells that digital data, such as website links, payment information, or text messages, is stored.

If a large finder pattern were also created in the fourth corner, it would significantly reduce the available space for storing information. Furthermore, the scanner does not require an additional marker to identify different parts of the code. Three signs are enough for the system to understand the orientation, size, and position of the QR code. Therefore, the fourth corner is not left empty but contains standard small black and white patterns carrying the QR code's information.

The QR code is designed so that it can be easily scanned in various directions and positions. Three finder patterns are used for this purpose. The presence of markers in the top two and the bottom left corner helps the scanner determine the code's position. These three signs give the scanner a kind of reference point, allowing it to understand which part of the code is on top, which is on the bottom, and in what order the information should be read. If markers were only in two corners, determining the direction and position of the code could cause more difficulties. At the same time, creating such markers in all four corners would lead to a reduction in data storage space. Thus, this scheme with three markers is highly effective.

Upon close examination of the QR code, besides the large markers, thousands of small black and white squares, called modules, are visible. It is through these modules that the information is stored in the QR code. When a user scans the code, the camera reads these black and white patterns, and then the phone's software converts them into digital data. After that, the desired website appears on the screen, payment information is displayed, or text is outputted. Thus, the large corner blocks help the system recognize the code and understand its orientation, while all other information is hidden within these small black and white modules, making the QR code a simple way to retrieve data in seconds.

A young man working in a pharmacy in Sikri, Rajasthan, received a banking message on his mobile phone that shocked him. The message stated that an amount of 100 million rupees had been blocked in his bank account. The mere mention of such a huge sum caused surprise, but for the young man, the problem was that even the 55 thousand rupees previously in his account were frozen.

This incident occurred in the Sikri district area. The young man's name is Samir Khan; he lives in the Kotwali police station area and works at a pharmacy near the bus stand. According to the police, on Wednesday, when Samir was topping up his phone balance, he received this banking notification.

The received message indicated the blocking of 100 million rupees in his account. Upon reading it, Samir panicked because he did not understand where the information about blocking such a colossal sum could have come from. Notably, even the approximately 55 thousand rupees that were already in his account also became unavailable for use.

Concerned, Samir told the pharmacy owner, Diraj Matoli. Afterward, they went together to the Sikri cyber police station to report the incident. Dindyadai, an assistant to the senior inspector of the Sikri cyber police, reported that the police investigated the case. During the check, it was found that the message about blocking 100 million rupees arose from a technical glitch in the bank, as such a large sum had never actually been credited to Samir's account.

Thanks to the police confirming the technical error, Samir was advised to contact the bank. After speaking with the bank, they also confirmed the error made in the message. As a result, the block that affected the previously held 55 thousand rupees in his account was lifted. Thus, the news of receiving 100 million rupees turned out to be the result of a technical failure that temporarily caused significant difficulties for Samir.