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NEW YORK — Citi Bike says it is aware of a scam in New York City in which thieves are switching the QR code stickers on rental bicycles in order to steal bikes unwittingly unlocked by customers.
The scammers wait for a renter to unlock a bicycle using the QR code, then ride away on the bike to which the code actually belongs, officials said.
Citi Bike spokesperson Jordan Levine says the company is working to address the problem, including upgrading the QR decals on its bikes. Each rental ride costs $3.
But a customer can be charged $1,200 if a bicycle they rent ends up lost or stolen.
