Authorities in Arizona are warning the public about fake QR-code posts that appear to exploit the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing for more than five months after vanishing from her Tucson home.
Pima County officials said the posts include QR codes requesting money and falsely suggest a connection to the ongoing investigation. The sheriff’s department said it will never ask for payment related to the Guthrie case or any investigation.
The Scam Comes During an Active Missing-Person Case
Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home in early February, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has been leading the investigation with FBI assistance.
People reported that doorbell footage captured a masked intruder at the home in the early morning hours of Feb. 1. No official suspect has been named and no arrest has been announced in the disappearance.
Reuters reported that several kidnapping-related messages that had surfaced in media coverage were later deemed fake by the FBI, according to an official familiar with the matter.
This Is Not the First Scam Around the Case
The Guthrie investigation has already attracted people trying to exploit the family’s fear and public attention.
Reuters reported that Derrick Callella, a California man, pleaded guilty to federal harassment counts after admitting he sent fake ransom notes posing as a kidnapper of Nancy Guthrie.
A Truck With an AI-Altered Image Raised Concern
People reported that Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the warning followed a truck seen driving around Tucson with an AI-altered image of a woman wearing a face mask and appeals for people to contribute money to the investigation.
The sheriff’s office has not identified who created the posts or whether anyone has lost money through the QR codes. They are also trying to stop people from scanning payment links or treating the posts as official.
QR Codes Can Hide Where the Money Is Really Going
Before scanning a QR code tied to a police investigation, search, reward, fundraiser, or public emergency, people should verify the request through the official agency website, a verified social media account, or a direct call to the agency using a number found independently.
Suspicious posts about the Guthrie case should be reported to the platform and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. QR-code scams, fake fundraisers, and payment fraud can also be reported to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.