London

1037 readers

29 users here now

"who’d a thunk it"

For discussion about London including the surrounding Greater London area. Discuss all things from news, travel, culture, and general life around the capital and largest city of England!

Rules and other welcoming info can be found here.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Londoners warned against scanning QR codes advertising cannabis (www.standard.co.uk)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Londoners have been told to not scan QR codes on the growing number of stickers advertising illicit cannabis websites.

Police are wary of the growing number of ads springing up on lamp posts, bus stops and in toilets around the capital which advertise the drug and its delivery.

Inspector Kerry Goodwin, of City of London Police, said that the ads had been found in Soho and around the Leicester Square area, reports My London.

"Investigations are on-going and we’re working with the City of London Corporation to get the stickers removed as soon as we become aware of them,” he said.

“We'd urge members of the public to alert police if they see any of these stickers and to not scan the QR code."

Scanning the codes is said to send the user onto a website where it appears that cannabis can be bought and delivered.

The sites are also said to advertise CBD and other associated products, such as oils and edibles, with a number of made-up reviews attached to give the essence of authenticity.

A spokesperson for the Met said: "We do not believe cannabis, in any form, is benign."

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So the warning isn't that the QR codes are malicious or could in some way harm your device. The warning appears to be that the QR codes advertising cannabis purchase and delivery could connect to exactly what they say they will.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 months ago

so basically the warning has become some kind of advertising as well now?