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As the weather gets warmer, Bike Share Toronto riders are being warned to stay vigilant as fraudulent QR codes are being placed on some of its bikes.
In a social media post, the program said scammers have been placing fake QR code stickers over official ones, redirecting users to malicious websites.
“We’ve become aware of fraudulent QR codes being placed over the official QR codes on some of our bikes,” they said in a statement.
Although the program uses the QR codes for unlocking bikes, it does not accept any forms of payment through the QR codes.
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BikeShare said they are urging all riders to unlock bikes only using its official app and in-app scanner.
The Toronto Police Service told Global News it is not aware of any reports linked to bike share bikes, but says it has seen similar scams involving parking meters in recent weeks.
At least three recent cases involved fake QR codes placed on parking meters.
Victims believed they were paying for parking, but were instead charged nearly $2,000, Toronto police said.
Investigators warn that the same tactic could be used in other public spaces.
Police advise people to inspect QR codes for signs of tampering, avoid scanning codes in public places when possible and never enter payment information unless the source is trusted.
They also recommend using official apps or websites instead of scanning QR codes.
“If you wouldn’t click it, don’t scan it,” police said.
BikeShare Toronto is asking users to report any suspicious QR codes to customer service.
Since the start of 2026, bike share has added 25 new stations and three station expansions, bringing 463 new docking points and nearly 500 new places to park and pick up bikes.
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